Elsevier

Geomorphology

Volume 102, Issue 1, 15 November 2008, Pages 68-80
Geomorphology

Neotectonic development of drainage networks in the East Sudeten Mountains and monitoring of recent fault displacements (Czech Republic)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2007.06.016Get rights and content

Abstract

This paper presents results of morphotectonic research carried out in order to determine the neotectonic development of the drainage network in the NE spur of the Bohemian Massif (central Europe). The area studied comprises the north-eastern sector of the Rychlebské Mts, belonging to the Sudeten Mountains and the adjacent part of the Žulovská Hilly Land in the Sudetic Foreland (Czech Republic). Analysis of drainage network characteristics such as cross-sections, erosion rate, longitudinal river profiles, stream length-gradient index (SL) and investigation of alluvial fans/terraces was performed using detailed geomorphological mapping and field examination, and DEM data. Moreover, a reconstructed neotectonic evolution was compared with present-day fault movements obtained by fault monitoring using the TM71 deformeter. The deformeter was installed directly across faults in two karst caves in the study area within the NW–SE striking Sudetic Marginal Fault (SMF) zone. This zone is one of the morphologically most prominent neotectonic structures in central Europe, separating the Sudeten Mountains from the Sudetic Foreland. Morphotectonic research reveals that segments of enhanced erosion correspond well with increased SL indices, changes in valley cross-sections and anomalies in the longitudinal profiles. The beginnings of the stretches of increased headward erosion/rejuvenated erosional phase are concentrated at the foot of marginal slopes of the mountainous sector of the study area, which supports the hypothesis that uplift of the mountainous sector is still expressed in its relief. Alluvial fans/terraces of three levels recognized in the adjacent Žulovská Hilly Land are of Middle to Late Pleistocene age: Saalian 1 (240–280 ka), Saalian 2 (130–180 ka) and Weichselian (10–80 ka), respectively. They postdate the retreat of the last continental ice-sheet, which reached the study area in Elsterian 2 (400–460 ka). Their relative heights above the river channel are greater than terrace levels of the same age along the main Nysa Kłodzka River. The height differences attain 20 m at the highest level 1, at least 8 m at level 2, and up to 2–3 m at level 3. These discrepancies imply post-Saalian 1 uplift of the Žulovská Hilly Land relative to the topographically lower Nysa Kłodzka valley.

Monitoring of present-day tectonic movements in the studied area revealed slow micro-displacements (hundredths to tenths of millimetres per year). The displacements have an aseismic character and the vertical component always prevails over the horizontal one. The inferred compressive stress comes generally from the southern sector, which would imply dextral transpression in the studied portion of the SMF, where the northern part is thrusting over the southern one. The trend of these present-day movements corresponds well with uplift of the studied area north of the SMF, which is also indicated by analysis of the drainage network. It is concluded that in areas of low tectonic activity the detailed study of individual characteristics of the drainage network, particularly their spatial relationships, as well as monitoring of fault micro-displacements can reveal rates and kinematics of ongoing tectonism.

Introduction

There is a wide range of definitions for the term neotectonic (see e. g. Vita-Finzi, 1986, Becker, 1993, Zuchiewicz, 1995). The majority of authors define neotectonics as crustal movements starting after the youngest orogenic phase or related to the youngest stress field occurring in the late Neogene and Quaternary. Opinions on the onset of the neotectonic period in central Europe, particularly in the Bohemian Massif, underwent an evolution, which closely followed the gathering of more data. Kopecký (1972) considered neotectonics in the Bohemian Massif to begin in the Oligocene, because neotectonic movements have formed the main features of present-day relief. Dyjor (1983) put the onset of neotectonics within the Sudetic region, in the NE part of the Bohemian Massif, as late Paleogene, later to Neogene (Dyjor, 1993). According to Becker (1993), characteristic changes in the tectonic evolution of central and northern Europe occurred for the last time in the early late Miocene, therefore the onset of neotectonic activity should be associated with this period, approximately 10 Ma BP. Zuchiewicz (1995) suggested that the neotectonic stage should be confined solely to the Pliocene and Quaternary. In this paper, however, we deal mainly with younger tectonic movements occurring during the Quaternary.

As the Bohemian Massif is a part of the Epihercynian platform (pre-Alpinian), for decades it was considered rather stable during the Quaternary (see e.g. references in Kopecký, 1972). However, morphotectonic research carried out in Czech and Polish parts of the Bohemian Massif during the last two decades has revealed areas of at least Middle-Pleistocene tectonic activity (e.g. Kalvoda and Stemberk, 1993, Vilímek and Stemberk, 1994, Vilímek, 1995, Krzyszkowski and Pijet, 1993, Krzyszkowski et al., 1995, Krzyszkowski et al., 2000, Badura et al., 2003). Moreover, in addition to seismic activity, results gained from geophysical and geodetic surveys (precise levelling), monitoring of micro-displacements directly on fault planes, and GPS measurements have revealed recent tectonic activity in the Bohemian Massif, although of low intensity compared to areas of active mountain building (Cacoń and Dyjor, 1995, Kalvoda, 1995, Košťák, 1998, Košťák, 2000, Schenk et al., 2003, Kontny, 2004, Cacoń et al., 2005).

The aim of this paper is to assess how active tectonics in the north-eastern spur of the Bohemian Massif is expressed in the development of the drainage network. The area belongs to the Fore–Sudetic block separated from the Sudeten Mountains by one of the most clearly marked tectonic zones in Central Europe; the 300 km long, NW–SE striking Sudetic Marginal Fault (SMF). The SMF underwent various types of movements during its evolution (Oberc and Dyjor, 1969, Skácel, 1989, Mastalerz and Wojewoda, 1993, Krzyszkowski et al., 1995, Badura et al., 2003, Badura et al., 2004). Apart from the prominent mountain-front fault scarp of the Sudeten Mountains, the trace of the SMF and other parallel faults within the zone is marked by mineral springs and Neogene to Quaternary volcanic rocks (Buday et al., 1995, Badura and Przybylski, 2000a, Birkenmajer et al., 2002, Badura et al., 2005 and references therein). Moreover, historical seismicity has been documented within this region along the trend of the SMF and connecting splays (Kárník et al., 1958, Pagaczewski, 1972, Guterch and Lewandowska-Marciniak, 2002).

Because drainage patterns may contain useful information about the past and present tectonic regime (see e.g. Seeber and Gornitz, 1983, Audemard, 1999, Burbank and Anderson, 2001, Keller and Pinter, 2002), the drainage basin of the study area was analysed to assess its neotectonic development. In addition, a comparison of the fracture system and the arrangement of landforms, which can have a causal relationships (cf. e.g. Ericson et al., 2005), was performed. Monitoring of micro-displacements directly on fault planes was carried out in order to assess present-day movements. Subsequently, the present-day trend of movements obtained by the monitoring was compared with the general neotectonic evolution of the study area.

Section snippets

Morphological and geological settings

The studied area (100 km2) is located in the north of the Czech Republic and includes the north-eastern part of the Rychlebské Mts, called the Sokolský Ridge, and the adjacent part of the Žulovská Hilly Land (Fig. 1).

The wedge-shaped Sokolský Ridge (highest peak: Studniční Mt. 992 m a. s. l.) is a horst-like structure descending stepwise to the NE along the parallel NW–SE striking faults, similarly to the entire Rychlebské Mts (Ivan, 1997). The marked marginal slopes of the Sokolský Ridge are

Analysis of drainage network

A systematic geomorphological analysis of the drainage network was carried out by means of field mapping and survey of anomalous features of individual valleys. These are particularly related to anomalies in their longitudinal profiles and cross-sections (knickpoints, changes in intensity of rejuvenated/modern erosion).

Longitudinal profiles were constructed basing on 1: 10 000 topographic maps, with a contour interval of 2 or 5 m. Cross-sections of the valleys were also based on 1:10 000

Characteristics of streams and drainage basin

The study area drains to the north-east into the Nysa Kłodzka River. The drainage network analysed in detail comprises the main stream — the Vidnavka River (of fourth stream order) — and its right-side catchment area, which includes streams of first to third order. All these streams originate in the Sokolský Ridge and then flow through the Žulovská Hilly Land to the Vidnavská Lowland, thus through the same geomorphological units. Based on this fact, it can be assumed that their evolution was

Discussion

The neotectonic origin of the prominent fault scarp, controlled by the Sudetic Marginal Fault, which forms the border between the Sudeten Mountains and the Sudetic Foreland, has been broadly discussed and documented by several authors (e.g. Oberc and Dyjor, 1969, Ivan, 1997, Badura et al., 2003 and references therein). The Sokolský Ridge is the SE sector of the Rychlebské Mts which belong to the Sudeten Mts. Yet the ridge itself is situated beyond the SMF on the hanging wall so it tends to be

Conclusions

This study examines drainage basins in an area showing differential neotectonic uplift. The streams within the zone of the Sokolský Ridge, show rejuvenated erosion and/or enhanced modern incision (also reflected by increased SL indices) starting at its foot as a plausible result of the uplift of the ridge. The general topography of the ridge is characterised by a stepwise inclination to the NE as a result of differential uplift. As the intensity of rejuvenated modern incision is highest in the

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Grant Agency of Charles University in Prague, project No. 328/2004/BGEO/PrF and by the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth, and Physical Culture, project EU COST OC 625.10 , then Institute research plan AVOZ30460519, and Research Plan of the Geographical section of the Faculty of Science, Charles University No. MSM 0021620831. Dan Nývlt is thanked for the helpful discussion on Quaternary sediments. A special acknowledgement goes to Dickson Cunningham for critical

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