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The photos in this gallery are adapted from a 1998 field guide led by Dr. Ariel Roth, who was Director of Geoscience Research Institute from 1980-1994. More information about the geology of the Alps in general, and the specific field localities is available here.
Noncommercial use of these photos is authorized with attribution as follows:
“Image copyright © Geoscience Research Institute, www.grisda.org. Used with permission."
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Lofer Cyclothems
Cyclothems are sequences of deposits interpreted as alternating between marine and terrestrial. The sediments in the photo are composed of Triassic limestones of the Dachstein Formation at Pass Lueg, Austria. For more details, see the Introduction to this gallery.
Load Casts at Pass Lueg
View looking up at the underside of a C unit in a Lofer cyclothem. The numerous bulbous forms which project downwards are called load casts. Load casts are often associated with turbidites. One bulb would be around 10-20 cm in diameter.
Fossil Clams at Pass Lueg
Fossils of the bivalve Conchodus infraliasicus in the Dachstein Formation as seen in the “Klamm.” The larger shells are about 10 cm long. Note that many of the shells are closed, indicating rapid burial while alive.
Fossil Reef
View of the massive reef (right) on the east side of Gosau Lake. The reef has been transported a long distance from the south during the formation of the Alps. On the southwest (right) side of the lake is a talus slope which has some typical fossils from the reef facies.
Fossil Sponge
A fossil sponge from the reef region at the north end of Gosau Lake. The sponge is the darker round object (near the middle of the picture) having a small light center and a darker filled-in crack cutting across it.
Salt and Clay
Close-up view of light-colored salt and darker surrounding clay and other minerals. The photo from the Bad Ischl salt mine near Hallstatt is about ½ m across.
Layers of Salt and Clay
Close-up view of lighter salt and darker clay layers from the purer salt deposits. Note the offset of layers due to movement of the deposit. Photo from the Bad Ischl salt mine is about ½ m across.