Early Jurassic volcanism was in the southern north Victoria Land portion of the Ferrar Large Igneous Province preceded by multiple phases of shallow-level intrusions of Ferrar sills into the 300 m thick cover of sedimentary rocks of the Triassic-Jurassic Victoria Group. Upward protrusions from sills into unconsolidated water-saturated sandstones triggered phreatomagmatic eruptions, forming discordant diatremes. Associated mafic volcaniclastic subaerial sediments are intercalated in the stratigraphic succession at two levels. Based on palynostratigraphy, their ages are late Pliensbachian and Early Toarcian, respectively. The matrix of the mafic volcaniclastic deposits is enriched in the individual minerals of the presently cemented fluviolacustrine country rocks. Clasts of the metamorphic and granitic basement are absent. The igneous clasts are comagmatic, comprising fragmented sill magma as well as scoriaceous juvenile lava shreds and bombs, some of which form welded deposits. All comagmatic and juvenile clasts, as well as those local pillows and lava flows embedded in the phreatomagmatic deposits, are of low-Ti andesitic composition (Cr < 80 ppm) and thus identical to the sills. Subsequent effusive volcanism (Kirkpatrick flows) started as low-volume lava flows and pillowed lava of more primitive low-Ti basaltic andesite composition (Cr > 100 ppm).

Three distinct source areas contributed to sandstones of the Victoria Group within the Transantarctic Basin in southern North Victoria Land. During the Permian, quartzose sandstones were derived from erosion of the local Ross Orogen, likely from an uplifted swell in the area of today's Ross Sea, the Ross High. This source was still active during the sedimentation of lower parts of the Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic Section Peak Formation. However, at that time the detritus derived from it was mixed with material from a then-active volcanic arc located in Zealandia at the Gondwana margin adjacent to North Victoria Land, indicating that the Ross High was no longer a significant morphological feature. The resulting lithic sandstones interfinger with quartzose sandstones that derive from a high-grade basement source. Within these quartzose sandstones, arc-derived material is a small, but up-section increasing contribution. Most of it is likely to originate from crustal blocks of Zealandia and West Antarctica. As the basin enlarged during its development, the quartzose material became increasingly more widespread in the upper part of the Section Peak Formation.

The eolian-fluvial sandstones of the Upper Permian Rotliegend formation, which were deposited in the Southern Permian Basin, are today deeply buried (similar to 3-4 km) and constitute important gas reservoirs in the Netherlands and the southern North Sea. The reservoir properties of the sandstones have been documented to be strongly affected by diagenesis, but the primary diagenetic factors impairing reservoir quality and their cause remain variably interpreted in the literature. Here, we present the results of a detailed investigation on the diagenetic processes controlling reservoir quality in the Lower Slochteren formation in the L and K blocks offshore the Netherlands, where fluvial and aeolian sandstones intercalate with playa lake muds in a delta setting. Quantitative analysis of the diagenetic mineral phases occurring in all main depositional facies (eolian, fluvial, playa-lake) was carried out on more than 200 samples from 21 wells, with the authigenic mineral composition of an additional 500 samples being evaluated qualitatively. The integration of petrographical observations with log data and core descriptions reveals that cement distribution/abundance is not dominantly driven by depositional facies, nor are reservoir properties. Early pore-filling dolomite cement can be as high as 40% and represents the main control on reservoir properties. Detailed analysis of its spatial distribution shows it to be distinctly related to mudstone proximity and mudstone/sandstone (M/S) ratio. Sandstones occurring as thin beds in mudstone-rich depositional sequences (high M/S ratio) typically exhibit strong pervasive carbonate cement regardless of sedimentary fades. In contrast, sandstones forming thick beds in mudstone-poor sequences (low M/S ratio) are commonly free/low in dolomite cement. Our results demonstrate, for the first time, that reservoir quality in the Rotliegend sandstones in the delta setting of the Netherlands is primarily controlled by early dolomite cement. The latter is most developed in areas with high (> 70%) vertical M/S ratio, where it may be a devastating factor for reservoir quality. Best reservoir sandstones should be expected where the depositional stacking pattern is poor in shaly deposits (playa-lake and distal sheet-flood sediments), such as in the southern/south-eastern part of the studied area.

Abstract: The deposits of the Takrouna Formation (Permian) were target of sedimentological field work during the 10th “German North Victoria Land Expedition” (GANOVEX X, 2009/2010). Four complete and several small sections were logged within six different mountain ranges in the northern part of Victoria Land. Lithofacies types of the studied sedimentary successsion mainly comprise fluvial conglomerates and coarseto fine-grained sand stones, and enable a subdivision in preliminary units. The lithofacies characteristics also allow tracing the transition of more proximal and distal parts of the fluvial system of the Takrouna Formation. Coarse-grained successions in the eastern part of the study area were probably deposited close to the basin margin. Further west sedimentary successions are overall finer and show a great variety of facies and fluvial architecture. They most likely represent locations close to the basin axis. At the basin margin the river system remained highly energetic in contrast to a more variable depositional environment towards the basin axis.

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We present new palynological data from the Transantarctic Mountains that clarify the timing of sedimentary and magmatic processes in the transition from continental deposition of the Beacon Supergroup to emplacement of the Ferrar Large Igneous Province. Samples were collected from twenty-three Triassic and Jurassic sections in the southern area of north Victoria Land (NVL), East Antarctica. Recovered palynomorph assemblages are correlated with the widely used, although informal palynostratigraphic framework established for eastern Australia by Price. The associated Late Triassic–earliest Jurassic zone, APT5, is modified here with a proposed new subdivision: Lower APT5 (“APT5L”; middle–late Norian), Middle APT5 (“APT5M”; Rhaetian), and Upper APT5 (“APT5U”; Hettangian–earliest Sinemurian). We further propose a modification unifying the relevant formal eastern Australian and New Zealand palynostratigraphic zones, with a new Polycingulatisporites crenulatus Association Zone (new zonal status) that includes the P. crenulatus Association Subzone (new subzone; equivalent to APT5L) and the following Foveosporites moretonensis Association Subzone (new subzonal status; equivalent to APT5M). Our palynostratigraphic dating of the NVL assemblages demonstrates that the onset of sedimentation was diachronous in this part of the Transantarctic Basin, ranging from at least the Rhaetian to, in places, early Sinemurian. By lack of evidence for rocks containing APT5U assemblages and by analogy with the few coeval sections in Australia, we infer that the Hettangian interval in NVL is probably consumed by unconformity. Deposition of ashes from distal silicic volcanism commenced in the early Sinemurian and reached a peak phase beginning in middle Pliensbachian (ca 187Ma), coinciding with the first major magmatic interval of the silicic Chon Aike Province in Patagonia and West Antarctica. Two major episodes of phreatomagmatic activity, driven by shallow-level sill intrusion into sandstone aquifers, occurred during the middle Pliensbachian and during the late Pliensbachian–early Toarcian. The latter episode was closely followed by the first pillow extrusion and local lava effusion. Contrary to some previous studies, we further conclude that all available palynological evidence is compatible with a short-lived emplacement of the plateau-forming Kirkpatrick Basalt at around 180Ma during the early Toarcian.

In recent years there has been an increasing interest on small renewable energy production systems to supply energy consumption of buildings. In Europe, cities face the challenge of combining energy efficiency and sustainable urban development. This challenge is likely to have an impact on grid infrastructures by implementing intelligent networks and storage facilities in order to secure energy supply. This paper presents an approach for integrating solar and geothermal energy generation on the basis of a spatially explicit assessment of potentials for both energy sources. The results should be applicable for spatial planning. The case study area is the Hannover region. The results demonstrate that with data available in blanked coverage in Lower Saxony the assessment of both renewables energy potentials could be performed. The generated place based information meets the specific demands of regional as well as municipal land use planning. It can be used for allocation and prioritisation of housing development with micro-renewables and for proposing areas with the combination of both.

Abstract Detrital zircons of eight sandstone samples from the Triassic–Early Jurassic Section Peak Formation (Victoria Group, Beacon Supergroup) in northern Victoria Land, Antarctica, were investigated by U–Pb LA–ICPMS dating. The basin was flanked by the East Antarctic craton, and by a magmatic arc at the palaeo-Pacific margin of Gondwana. It accommodated sandstones ranging from quartzo-feldspathic to volcaniclastic in composition. The detrital zircon age spectra yield pronounced concentrations at c. 190–250 Ma, 500–700 Ma and 800–1200 Ma. The proportion of Triassic–Early Jurassic zircons increases from base to top of the formation, and correlates positively with the abundance of detrital volcanic rock fragments. The youngest zircon ages are close to the stratigraphic age of each sample, indicating contemporaneous magmatic activity along the active margin of Gondwana. Igneous rocks that formed during the Ross Orogeny (c. 470–545 Ma) were a minor source only, suggesting that the Ross Orogen became progressively covered by sediments as the basin expanded. Pan-African (c. 500–700 Ma) and Grenville (c. 800–1200 Ma) age zircons may have been derived from crustal sources currently covered beneath the polar ice sheet, although recycling from Cambro-Ordovician units provides an alternative explanation. Supplementary material: The exact results of the age analyses of all samples are presented in Tables A1 to A8 at www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18624

In contrast to the adjacent parts of the Transantarctic Mountains, the Mesozoic macrofossil record of north Victoria Land remains poorly docu- mented. During the Ninth German Antarctic North Victoria Land Expedition (GANOVEX IX 2005/2006) twelve fossil sites in southern north Victoria Land were discovered and sampled. Fossils from the Triassic to Early Jurassic Section Peak Formation were collected from Archambault Ridge, Anderton Glacier, Skinner Ridge, Timber Peak, Vulcan Hills, Runaway Hills, Section Peak and Shafer Peak. These localities have yielded abundant fossil wood and compressions of horsetails, ferns, and seed ferns. In addition, several beetle elytra were found at Timber Peak. Fossil localities of the overlying Shafer Peak Formation and Exposure Hill-type deposits occur at Shafer Peak and in the Mount Carson area, and have yielded various trace fossils, permineralized wood, leaf compressions, and conchostracans. Two newly discovered fossil sites are associated with the late Early Jurassic Kirkpatrick lava flows. Upright-standing tree trunks have been recorded at Suture Bench, and highly fossiliferous sedimentary interbeds occur at the southwestern end of the Mesa Range. Of special interest is the exquisite fossil preservation at some of the sites. Compression fossils from Timber Peak and Shafer Peak contain well- preserved cuticles, which is very rare in the Antarctic. An Early Jurassic permineralized deposit at Mount Carson contains structurally preserved ferns. Furthermore, the arthropod fossils from sedimentary interbeds at the Mesa Range are preserved in minute detail, including antennae and limb spines of a blattid insect. Zusammenfassung: Im Gegensatz zu benachbarten Gegenden des Transan- tarktischen Gebirges sind aus den triassischen und jurassischen Sedimenten Nordviktorialands bisher nur auserst sparliche Fossilvorkommen bekannt geworden. Im Rahmen der Gelandearbeiten wahrend der 9. German Antarctic North Victoria Land Expedition (GANOVEX IX 2005/2006) wurde ein Dutzend neue Fossilfundstellen entdeckt und beprobt. Innerhalb der trias- sisch-fruhjurassischen Section Peak Formation wurden Fossilien am Archam- bault Ridge, Anderton Glacier, Skinner Ridge, Timber Peak, Vulcan Hills, Runaway Hills, Section Peak und Shafer Peak entdeckt. Diese Fundstellen haben zahlreiches fossiles Holz und zum Teil sehr gut erhaltene Pflanzenfossi- lien, vor allem Schachtelhalme, Farne und Samenfarne, geliefert. Am Timber Peak wurden weiterhin einige Kaferflugeldecken entdeckt. Fossilfundstellen der uberlagernden Shafer Peak Formation und lokal eingeschalteten, mafi- schen vulkanoklastischen Ablagerungen (Exposure Hill-type deposits) befinden sich am Shafer Peak und in der Umgebung des Mount Carson, deren fruhjurassische Sedimente verschiedene Spurenfossilien, verkieseltes Holz, Pflanzenreste und Conchostraken enthalten. Daruber hinaus wurden zwei weitere Fossilfundstellen in der Abfolge der fruhjurassischen Kirkpatrick- Lavastrome entdeckt. An der Suture Bench wurden Baumstamme von den Laven umschlossen und aufrecht stehend uberliefert. Auserst fossilreiche sedimentare Einschaltungen zwischen einzelnen Lavastromen befinden sich am Sudwestende der Mesa Range. Besonders bemerkenswert ist die zum Teil hervorragende Fossilerhaltung an einigen Fundstellen. Die Pflanzenfossilien vom Timber Peak und Shafer Peak liefern noch sehr gut erhaltene Kutikulen, was insbesondere in der Antarktis uberaus selten ist. Ein verkieselter Horizont am Mount Carson enthalt zahlreiche jurassische Farne in zellularer Erhaltung. Daruber hinaus sind einige der Arthropodenfossilien aus den sedimentaren Zwischenlagen der Kirkpatrick-Laven zum Teil bis in feinste Details uberlie- fert.

The Timber Peak of North Victoria Land, Antarctica, exposes, embedded between two 150 m thick Early Jurassic mafic sills, 80 m of Late Triassic sediments of the Beacon Supergroup. The sediments comprise fluvial channel sandstones interbedded with lacustrine and palustrine deposits containing Dicroidium-dominated floras. The sandstones show a thin fused margin at the contact to the sills. During the German Antarctic North Victoria Land Expedition IX (2005/2006) an approximately 3.5 m thick section of carbonaceous mudstones and coals, 12 m above the lower sill, was sampled for organic geochemical and petrographical analyses in order to better describe the depositional environment and to investigate whether the sill intrusions are responsible for thermal alteration processes of the sedimentary organic matter. Hydrogen and oxygen indices of RockEval pyrolyses suggest that the sediments contain degraded terrestrial organic matter (Type IV). Carbon isotope ratios of aliphatic and aromatic fractions show typical values related to land plant dominated material. Varying abundances of C27to C29-steranes reveal mixtures between land plant and aquatic organic matter, which in turn suggests that the sediments were likely deposited in swamp-like and/or lacustrine environments. Copyright © AAPG. Serial rights given by author. For all other rights contact author directly. Sterane isomerisation parameters indicate that the sediments have reached maturities of the oil window, which is supported by vitrinite reflectance data. We observe a general increase of vitrinite reflectance (VR) values from the top to the lower parts of the analyzed section. The increase of approximately 0.4 %-VR over a depth interval of 3.5 m is unusual and cannot be explained through subsidence processes, but must be related to an abnormal heat flow related to the sill intrusions. The maturity data suggests that the underlying sill had a greater thermal influence on the sediments than the overlying one. This assumption seems plausible as the vertical distance between the sample positions and the lower sill is 12 m compared to 65 m towards the upper sill. The increase of reflectance values, however, is not uniform and the observed scattering of the data might be attributed to the influence of the variability of the thermal conductivity of different sediment types. References Berner, U., E. Faber, G. Scheeder, and D. Panten, 1997, Primary cracking of algal and landplant kerogens: kinetic models of isotope variations in methane, ethane and propane: Chemical Geology, v. 126/3, p. 233-245. Berner, R.A. and R. Raiswell, 1983, Burial of organic carbon and pyrite sulfur in sediments over Phanerozoic time: A new theory: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 47/5, p. 855-862. Espitalie, J., J.L. Laporte, M. Madec, F, Marquis, P. Leplat, J. Paulet, and A. Boutefeu, 1977, Rapid method for source rock characterization, and for determination of their petroleum potential and degree of evolution: Revue de l'Institut Francais du Petrole et Annales des Combustibles Liquides, v. 32/1, p. 23-42. Lafargue, E., F. Marquis, and D. Pillot, 1998, Rock-Eval 6 Applications in Hydrocarbon Exploration, Production and Soils Contamination Studies: Oil & Gas Science and Technology, v. 53/4, p. 421-437. Peters, K. E., C.C. Walters, and J.M. Moldowan, 2005, The Biomarker Guide; Volume 1: Biomarkers and Isotopes in the Environment and Human History. 2ed., 471 p., ISBN: 0-521-78158-2. Peters, K E., C.C. Walters, and J.M. Moldowan, 2005, The Biomarker Guide; Volume II: Biomarkers and Isotopes in Petroleum Systems and Earth History. 2ed., p. 475-1155., ISBN: 0-521-83762-6. Sofer, Z., 1984, Stable carbon isotope compositions of crude oils; application to source depositional environments and petroleum alteration: AAPG Bulletin, v. 68/1, p. 31-49.

1 Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Geologisch-Paläontologisches Institut, Forschungsstelle für Paläobotanik, Hindenburgplatz 57, 48143 Münster, Germany (bennibomfleur@gmx.de, kerp@uni-muenster.de) 2 TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Institut für Geologie, Bernhard-von-Cotta Str. 2, 09596 Freiberg, Germany (schneidj@geo.tu-freiberg.de) 3 Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Institut für Geowissenschaften, Burgweg 11, 07749 Jena, Germany (robert.schoener@uni-jena.de, lothar.viereck-Goette@uni-jena.de)

Field investigations in North Victoria Land, Antarctica during GANOVEX IX (2005/2006) allow the revision of the Triassic-Jurassic stratigraphy of ~300 m thick continental deposits in between the crystalline basement and the Kirkpatrick lava flows of the Ferrar Group. The lower stratigraphic unit (Section Peak Formation) is characterised by braided river-type quartzose sandstone deposits with intercalations of shale and coal occurring at the top. It is overlain by a homogeneous unit of reworked tuffs composed of fine-grained silicic shards, quartz and feldspar (new name: "Shafer Peak Formation"). These deposits can be correlated with parts of the Hanson Formation in the Central Transantarctic Mountains and require a distal yet unknown source of massive silicic volcanism. Clastic products of mafic volcanic eruptions, formerly described as a separate stratigraphic formation (Exposure Hill Formation), occur within local diatreme structures as well as intercalated at various stratigraphic levels within the sedimentary succession. These dominantly hydroclastic eruptions are the first subaerial expression of Ferrar magmatism. The initial Kirkpatrick lavas/pillow lavas were generated from local eruptive centres and again may be overlain by thin sediments, which are covered by the thick plateau lava succession known throughout the Transantarctic Mountain Range.

Field data gathered during GANOVEX IX (2005IX ( /2006) ) in Northern Victoria Land, Antarctica, indicate that volcaniclastic deposits of phreatomagmatic eruptions (so-called Exposure Hill Type events) are intercalated with fluvial deposits of Triassic-Jurassic age at two stratigraphic levels.Abundant scoriaceous spatter (locally welded) indicates a hawaiian/strombolian component.Breccia-filled diatremes, from which volcaniclastic deposits were sourced, are rooted in sills which intruded wet sediments.The deposits are thus subaerial expressions of initial Ferrar magmatism involving intrusion of multiple shallow-level sills.Due to magma-sediment interaction abundant clastic dikes are developed that intrude the sediments and sills.All igneous components in the volcaniclastic deposits are andesitic in composition, as are the chilled margins of the sills.They are more differentiated than the basaltic andesites of the younger effusive section of Kirkpatrick plateau lavas which in northern Victoria Land start with pillow lavas and small volume lava flows from volcanic necks.

We compare the diagenetic evolution of deeply buried Rotliegend (Permian) red bed sandstones at the southern and northern margin of the Central European Basin (CEB) in Germany. Main target is to evaluate the influence of maturation products from hydrocarbon (HC) source rocks during red bed diagenesis. At the southern margin of the CEB, thick coal-bearing Carboniferous source rocks are omnipresent beneath the Rotliegend. They contain dominantly gas-prone terrigenous organic material and some oil source rocks. Hydrocarbons were generated from Late Carboniferous onwards throughout most of basin subsidence. At the northern margin of the CEB, source rocks are almost absent due to deep erosion of Carboniferous rocks and a low TOC of local Lower Carboniferous relics. Early diagenetic processes are comparable at both basin margins. Significant differences in burial diagenetic evolution are spatially correlated to the occurrence of hydrocarbon source rocks. Burial diagenesis at the southern margin of the CEB is characterized especially by bleaching of red beds, major dissolution events, pervasive illite formation, impregnation of pore surfaces with bitumen, and formation of late Fe-rich cements. Almost none of these features were detected at the northern basin margin. Instead, relatively early cements are preserved down to maximum burial depths. This suggests that major diagenetic mineral reactions in deeply buried red bed sandstones are controlled by the presence or absence of maturing hydrocarbon source rocks.