One of the few examples of renewable energy sources independent of weather conditions is geothermal energy, utilized both in high-temperature geothermal systems and, increasingly, in low-temperature geothermal applications. We describe novel research on the influence of salt diapir structures on groundwater temperatures in their surroundings. The ani pound & ecirc;ta and Lubie & ntilde; salt domes in Poland were selected as representative study areas. Based on a series of field studies, temperature distribution maps were developed for Quaternary, Neogene, and Paleogene aquifers. The analysis demonstrated that ground water thermal anomalies in the vicinity of salt diapirs reach up to +2.0 degrees C. The results obtained enabled an assessment of the potential for utilizing this additional thermal energy in low-temperature geothermal systems. A temperature anomaly in the range of +0.5 to +2.0 degrees C translates directly into a measurable improvement in system coefficients of performance, thereby reducing operational costs. The course of action proposed in this paper for identifying optimal locations for shallow geothermal energy exploitation has not been previously applied and represents an effective approach to maximizing the share of renewable energy sources and enhancing the diversification of local energy supplies, particularly in central and east ern Europe, where salt dome geological structures are relatively common.
The Pozna & ntilde; Clays represent a key lithostratigraphic unit of the Neogene in the Polish Lowlands. They are characterised by pronounced colour variability, ranging from dark grey and black to yellow, brown and red. This study identifies and quantifies the mineralogical and geochemical factors controlling this colour variability and evaluates their significance for palaeoenvironmental interpretation, using samples collected from the Honoratka dump in central Poland. A multimethod ap-proach is applied, including grain-size analysis, Powder X-ray Diffraction (PXRD), 57Fe M & ouml;ssbauer Spectroscopy (57Fe-MS), Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and Raman Spectroscopy (RS). The results obtained demonstrate that colour in the Pozna & ntilde; Clays is primarily controlled by the type, distribution, and crystallinity of iron-bearing phases, particularly hematite, goethite and jarosite, as well as by redox conditions, pH, and the presence of organic matter. Red and brown colours are associated with oxidising environments and the formation of hema-tite and goethite, while dark colours reflect reducing conditions and organic-matter preservation. Pale colours are linked to the dominance of non-pigmenting minerals such as quartz, clay minerals and carbonates. This study corroborates the effec-tive use of sediment colour as an integrated indicator of depositional and post-depositional processes in palaeoenviron-mental interpretations, when supported by mineralogical analyses.
The sandstones of the upper part of the Ocies & eogon;ki Formation (Cambrian Stage 4) contain numerous Psammichnites gigas arcuatus specimens that dominate lithologies characteristic of the high-energy Skolithos ichnofacies. The burrows are represented by four morphotypes being in fact taphonomic variants. These include horizontal sections displaying meniscate backfill composed of a series of arcuate ridges ("Arcuatichnus wimani" Kowalski, 1978), concave furrows with a U-shaped pattern ("Plagiogmus arcuatus" Roedel 1929), resembling Climactichnites isp., positive hypichnial reliefs visible as bilobate ridges with a median furrow and, occasionally, a V-shaped pattern ("Cruziana sp." of Or & lstrok;owski, 1975b), and complex structures that are combinations of these variants. The differences observed result from stratinomic effects and substrate grain size and consistency. Observations of striae on P. gigas arcuatus suggest that these may have been produced by halkieriids or other animals with hard skeletal elements. In the literature, similar ichnofossils were interpreted as traces of "worms", gastropods or other molluscs, and rarely halkieriids and arthropods including trilobites. The different morphology of the examples of P. gigas arcuatus studied compared to other common Cambrian specimens may represent evolutionary change, as it reflects a relatively late occurrence of this trace fossil in the Cambrian of the Holy Cross Mountains.
This study focuses on the variegated horizon of the Farony Shales occurring in the lower part of the Maastrich-tian-Paleocene Ropianka Formation in the Magura Nappe (Outer Western Carpathians). It consists of a shale succession with subordinate thin-bedded sandstones, characterized by the occurrence of red shale laminae and beds. Our analyses of its lateral extent and stratigraphy have constrained its spatial distribution and the timing of sedimentation. The presence of Maastrichtian variegated shales within the Magura Nappe in the Polish and Slovak parts of the Orava region is documented, significantly extending their previously known distribution, formerly restricted to the Gorce Mts. The age of the Farony Shales is assigned to the Lower Maastrichtian, based mainly on the co-occurrence of agglutinated foraminiferal acme assemblages, including Caudammina gigantea (Geroch), Caudammina ovula (Grzybowski), Caudammina excelsa (Dyl1 & iquest;anka), and the Saccammina-Placentammina assemblage. This variegated shale succession is formally distinguished herein as the Farony Variegated Shale Member within the Ropianka Formation. Its definition, including the elements required by the rules for es-tablishing new lithostratigraphic units, is given in this paper.
The Integrated Predictive Error Filter Analysis (INPEFA) technique was applied to investigate lithological variations with the aim of enhancing the identification of reservoir intervals within a sandstone-shale succession. The study utilized geological and well logging data from three boreholes penetrating the Krosno Beds in the Silesian Unit (Jurassic-Neogene) of the Outer Carpathians. Available well logs were reinterpreted to delineate petrophysical lithofacies based on shale content. Effective porosity (PHI) and estimated permeability values (K) were employed to calculate the Flow Zone Index (FZI) and classify Rock Types. Macroscopic core and cuttings descriptions, supplemented by field geological observations, facilitated the identification of geological lithofacies. These geological and petrophysical lithofacies, along with Rock Types, were correlated with INPEFA curves derived from well log parameters including gamma ray (GR), spontaneous potential (SP), bulk density (RHOB), and acoustic transit time (DT), as well as reinterpreted effective porosity (PHI) and shale volume (VCL). Facies classification within the sandstone-shale profiles of the Krosno Beds was refined by analysing INPEFA trends and inflection points. The integration of multiple analytical approaches based on various scale data, i.e. well logs, results of macroscopic analysis of cutting samples and cores together with information from geological field studies enabled a more precise delineation of intervals showing favourable reservoir properties within the stratigraphic columns. The study presented shows that in-formation from various sources and on various scales, combined fora single purpose-lithofacies identification-results in a more accurate lithological recognition, which also affects understanding of reservoir properties. The trends obtained from the Cyclolog program made it possible to generalize very detailed and, by necessity, fragmented information from well logging and, at the same time, to responsibly incorporate independent, multi-scale data from core, cutting sample and field information.
