Mateo Gutiérrez Elorza

Geomorphology of the Tertiary gypsum formations in the Ebro Depression (Spain)

Abstract This paper reviews the current knowledge of the mainly karstic geomorphological features developed in the evaporitic formations of the Ebro Depression (northern Spain). Special emphasis is given to the recently published and unpublished scientific advances. The gypsum formations, of Tertiary age, have an extensive outcrop area within the Ebro Depression. Here, their morphogenesis is controlled mainly by processes of surface and subsurface dissolution acting on the gypsum. Outstanding landforms in the gypsum terrain include saline lakes developed in flat bottom dolines (saladas). Other characteristic morphologies include karren and gypsum domes, which occur on a decimetre scale. Where the gypsum is covered by Quaternary alluvial deposits the karstification processes are especially intense and cause subsidence phenomena. Karstic subsidence affects stream terraces, mantled pediments and infilled valleys, which in the region are called vales. Dissolution-induced synsedimentary subsidence has produced interesting geological features, which include significant thickening and deformation of the alluvial deposits. In contrast to the rapid removal of gypsum by dissolution, the amount of gypsum removed by erosion is low. Water erosion studies carried out on gypsiferous slopes of the Ebro Depression, indicate that the sediment yield ranges from 0.59 to 7.82 t/ha/year. This low yield results from the high infiltration capacity of the soils. Subsidence caused by gypsum dissolution has important socio-economic consequences in the Ebro Depression. The active alluvial karstification of the gypsum causes numerous sinkholes that are harmful to linear structures (roads, railway lines, irrigation channels), buildings and agricultural land. Unforeseen catastrophic subsidence also puts human lives at risk. The benefits of such terrains include thickened alluvial deposits which act as valuable water reservoirs and which form excellent sources of aggregates. Fluvial valleys in this gypsiferous terrain commonly show an asymmetrical geometry with prominent gypsum scarps at one side. These gypsum scarps are affected by numerous landslides. These slope movements are hazardous, may dam rivers and cause flooding of the alluvial plains.

El cuaternario en la depresión del Ebro en la región aragonesa. Cartografía y síntesis de los conocimientos existentes

Resumen del trabajo presentado a la IV Reunion de Jovenes Investigadores en Coloides e Interfases, celebrada en Cordoba del 7 al 9 de febrero de 2018.Trabajo financiado por los proyectos SEROS (CGL 2014-55900-PL), DR3AM (CGL2015- CGL2014-55118) y Grupos Geotransfer y Analisis de Cuencas de la Universidad de Zaragoza. Es una contribucion del Institut de Recerca Geomodels y del Grup de Geodinamica i Analisi de Conques (2014SGR467).Resumen del trabajo presentado a la I Jornada de jovenes investigadores de ceramica y vidrio en el ICMA, celebrada el 20 de marzo de 2018 en la Universidad de Zaragoza.Gracias a todas las instituciones y organismos que han hecho posible este trabajo: al Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad por la beca FPI enmarcada en el proyecto MAT2011-22719, a la Universidad de Zaragoza y al Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Aragon.577 Pags.- Figs.- Tabls.- Fots. El contenido de los apartados que componen este libro es de exclusiva responsabilidad de los autores. Creative Commons License Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)Angel Larrea and Sonia Serrano-Zabaleta acknowledge funding from project MAT2012-30763 and the use of Servicio General de Apoyo a la Investigacion-SAI, Universidad de Zaragoza.Trabajo presentado al 8th International UHMWPE Meeting, celebrado en Torino (Italia) del 19 al 20 de octubre de 2017.Trabajo presentado al XI Congreso Nacional de Materiales celebrado en Zaragoza del 23 al 25 de junio de 2010.