RECENT MOVEMENT POTENTIALS WITHIN THE NORTHWEST GERMAN BASIN – LOCALISATION AND QUANTIFICATION BY GIS-ANALYSIS, INTERPRETATION OF SEISMIC DATA, REMOTE SENSING, STATISTIC ANALYSIS AND FIELDWORK

In order to investigate connections between deep tectonic and halokinetic structures and the development of recent topography, quantification of recent movement potentials was carried out for the area of the Northwest German Basin in consideration of the following parameter: (1) Salt structures; (2) Tectonic faults; (3) Near surface faults that will crop out on the recent surface with the utmost probability; (4) Elsterian tunnel valleys (deeper 100 m); (5) Historic earthquakes; (6) Mapped lineaments on satellite imagery; (7) GIS-based calculation of correlation coefficients between different stratigraphic horizons of the deep Northwest German Basin and surface topography. The results show appearance of recent movement potential that mainly is caused by tectonic faults and salt structures. Thus recent movement potential mainly is given within the area of the Glückstadt-Trough. Highest movement potentials are concentrated in five areas, i.e. the areas Sterup, Tellingstedt Nord, Oldensworth Nord, Schwarzenbek and Plön. The quantified movement potential describe recent processes within these areas. Active faults are located in the areas Sterup, Schwarzenbek and Plön. Their activity is documented by the course of mapped lineaments that fit with the crop out of near surface faults. In addition a recent active sinking hole is located in the area Plön. The recent enlargement of the sinking hole is caused by solution of tertiary sediments below the sinking hole. For areas with high movement potential the influence of tectonic and halokinetic structures on the development of the recent surface is documented. Thus near surface faults have an influence on the development of lake Plön. In the area Schwarzenbek near surface faults cause a deviation of the river Elbe. For the areas Sterup and Oldensworth an interaction between ice loading and mobility of salt can be shown. Thus deposition of Quaternary sediments and the development of the catchment areas of the rivers Eider and Schlei-Trave are influenced by salt rise of the salt structures Sterup and Meezen. In the area Oldensworth cross sections illustrate the dependence between salt rise and the deposition of Quaternary sediments. The course of the river Elbe from Hamburg to its river mouth is influenced by salt structures that are located in the upper 1000 m.