End-Cretaceous Quartz Arenite Formation in an Estuarian Environment under Brine Influence, N. Germany; Linked to both Deccan Volcanism and Chicxulub Impact Degassing during Climate Change

Maastrichtian off-shore carbonate sediments and transitional estuarian quartz arenite (primarily subarkosic/arkosic) deposited in N Germany, underwent indirect effects by end-Cretaceous plume volcanism (Caribbean Arc/Antilles, Amirante Arc/Seychelles, Deccan Traps) and by the Chicxulub impact during climate change. In addition, brines of local salt structures had increasing influence on pore water chemistry of siliciclastics deposited in rim synclines and sub-rosion bowls during the transition from salt pillow state (Upper Campanian/Maastrichtian) to diapirism since the KPgB (66.043 Ma) until end-Paleocene. As main drivers degassing (CO 2 , SO 2 et al.), temperature rise, acid rain/metal toxicity of both volcanic and impact origin caused kill effects by acidification (pH-drop) of sea water resp. dissolution processes on land initiated by complex acid mixtures onto both marine and continental sediments; all in all, leaving a remarkable reduction of the clastics’ primary mineral content, accompanied by kaolinite in-situ neoformation (  quartz, kaolinite). Furthermore, driving effects even controlled lithofacies and se-quence-analytical patterns (LST, TST, HST). Around the Lower/Upper Maastrichtian B. (MFS) radiolarian ooze was deposited across flat estuarian mouth channels during an ingression (tsunami), originally as soft pebbles, then possibly given by brines (see Atlantis II-Deep, Red Sea). The top portions of the uppermost Maastrichtian deposits of N Germany were eroded by the KPgB-convulsive events. However, recent publications (i.e. from Seymour Island, Antarctica) make evident that Deccan volcanism played obviously a prime role versus the Chicxulub impact during reversal magnetization (Chron 29 R). Thus, there exists a high probability that plume volcanism had important influence on the quartz arenite in-situ formation by degassing and related acid in combination with brines in trap position of the ascending salt diapirs. Accordingly, Price’s concept (2001) major impacting may cause plate motion, has to be modified towards the version plume mechanism and may have the same or even stronger effect, thereby relating to recent studies on the Arabian Platform, Jordan. A synopsis of Phanerozoic loss of biodiversi-ty-events caused by both plume volcanism and impacting comparatively exposes Homo sapiens since the Industrial Revolution as a geological force in biotic as well as abiotic processes in Earth History.


Introduction
"In Science new ideas aren't a priori right because they are new; just so former ones aren't wrong because they are past… Everywhere, where generally accepted ideas underlie uncritical use and proofs that don't coincide with them, are simply wiped off or not mentioned since they don't fit into the representation, science moves into oppression". Thomas Gold, Geo-Universalist [1], transl. Sch.
Since half a century abundant publications have been written on "direct" effects caused by major impacting as shock metamorphism, impact cratering, fall out/back deposits, boundary clay, tektites, mass extinction etc., see synoptical papers i.e. [2] [3].
In magma dissolved gases (CO 2 , H 2 O, H 2 , HCI, HF, CI 2 , F 2 , H 2 S, S 2 , SO 2 , SO 3 , and N 2 ) provide aggressive mixtures of acids whose pH may fall below zero being incalculable ( [13], Table 1 and Table 2). Furthermore, metal compounds (i.e. FeCI 2 , MnCI 2 , PbCI 2 , AgCl, SnCI 2 , MoO 3 , WO 3 , and H 2 O) are dissolved in magmatic gas under high pressure [13]. It should be stressed that the weight of volatiles moves in order of a few percent of the total fluid magma weight in the same eruption. Table 1. Analysis of fumarole gases from Kilauea, Hawai and Erta'Ale, Ethiopia, both basaltic sources (mol-%, [13] [14].     [21]. The Atlas-System developed by A. Smith and coworkers, Cambridge University UK. represents a global mapping reconstruction system for P.C. in order to W. Schneider, E. Salameh design maps and tracks of continents and individual islands through various Phanerozoic episodes. So it provides a mapmaking package comprising EULER-rotations and a variety of utilities for creating paleogeographic reconstructions of the last 600 Ma and estimates of the past position of present-day shaped coastlines. Hence, the clue of our paper tells: if such highly acidic mixtures generated by both volcanism and major impacting attack clastic sediments through a certain time-span in a suitable geologic setting of arkosic/subarkosic deposits (stable platforms, rim synclines as trap), mature quartz arenite may be the final product in paragenesis with neoformed kaolinite [15] [16].

Geologic Setting
As part of NW Europe, the Subhercynian situated in the Harz Mts' foreland, has been structurally formed by a transpressive orthogonal fault system (NNE-SSW, WNW-ESE) linked the interplay of N Atlantic Opening, the Fennoscandian Block and Alpine Mountain Building with it is (Figures 3(A)-(C)) built up by seven blocks that are separated by Zechstein evaporates, the latter's follow halocinetically the WNW/ESE-striking transpressive faults [22] [23] [24] [25]. The evaporates represent mobilization zones between the blocks resp. between the underlying Paleozoic Basement (subsalinar) and the Mesozoic/Cenozoic overburden (suprasalinar). The Maastrichtian quartz arenite deposits have been pre-
This sequence is generally built up with unconsolidated white/grey fine-to coarse-grained, kaolinite-bearing, carbonate-free quartz sand intercalated with sandy gravel beds. Varying sorting relates to more or less bimodal grain size distribution also caused by in-situ kaolinite neoformation from feldspar replacement ( [44], Table 3).      Figure 11. Lithostratigraphy of the Maastrichtian quartz arenite sequence at Uhry (A), [26] and Walbeck (B = type locality) [34].
Ultrastable heavy minerals (zircon, tourmaline, rutile, brookite, anatase) offer a broad quantitative spectrum inside and outside the rim synclines while the rare minerals epidote/clinozoisite, staurolite, cyanite, topas, apatite and especially the unstables like hornblende and garnet are found only outside [31], thus indicating a special pore water chemistry (Table 3).
With regard to the "heavies", as contact metamorphic mineral to be derived from the nearer located source areas of both Harz Mts. and Flechtingen/Rosslau Block, the content of andalusite represents its high resistance under low pH-conditions.
Kaolinite together with less illite, was certainly transported to the depositional environment; however, a high amount is the product of feldspar dissolution.
Concerning diagenetic processes, the original sediment was represented by more or less well sorted fine-to median-grained subarkosic/arkosic arenite during deposition owning a porosity of ~30%.
During the Belemnitella junior transgression a pH-rise caused silica availability for the later syntaxial overgrowth of quartz grains and geod formation ( Figure 12) after a pH-drop.
In connection with increasing brine influx from the adjacent salt structure, the KPg-event itself brought acid rain and caused the extreme pH/Eh-conditions cited in the Introduction, to generate the paragenesis β-quartz, silicon (Si) and kaolinite, possibly through Paleocene (compare Atlantis II-Deep, Red Sea).

End-Cretaceous Events: Plate Tectonics, Major Impacting, Plume Volcanism, Oceanic Arc Formation, a Synopsis (Figure 13)
After Price [21], the abrupt change of both direction and speed of plate motion would indicate a major impact though, hitherto, relating craters haven't been verified except Chicxulub site (Figures 14(A)-(D)). Having used a former time scale [46]       Despite the KPgB.-hiatus in N Germany, the following efforts may be taken in regard to end-Cretaceous magmatic degassing and acid-generated effects on sediments of the study area: -Trace element analysis of reworked green-rimmed chert clastics of the uppermost Reitbrook M. [35].
-Analysis of unpublished core material of the Oil Industry from the uppermost Cretaceous relating to boundary clay and micropaleontologic pulses [35].
-Analysis of multicolored carbonate-free clay in connection with quartz arenite occurrence at both localities Ribbesdorf and Klinze, sheet Weferlingen [34].

Discussion and Conclusions
The end-Cretaceous temperature pulse record concerning the fauna applied at Relating to magnetostratigraphy, the Seymour Island data underline the driving role of Earth's "D-layer" (17,48) by indicating shortly delayed onset and end of Deccan volcanism to it during reversal magnetization (Chron 29R, Figure   15).  Modifying the Seymour Island data in a global project [20], ∂ 11 boron isotope analysis of planktonic and benthic foraminifera skeletons relate the KPgB-mass extinction to the Chicxulub event within a wider realm of Deccan volcanism.
Thereby, the driving kill mechanism focuses on impact-induced pH-drop in ocean water to global ecologic collapse.
The authors analyzed surface water pH-rebound sharply coincides with marine calcifier's extinction and associated imbalance of global carbon cycle (~50% reduction of marine carbon isotope patterns at KPgB) [19] [20]. Primary productivity in surface water after KPgB took place not before a few tens of 10 3 yr while carbon export to deep-sea water was longer lasting [20].
Returning to volcanic degassing, in order to more realistically evaluate the gas W. Schneider, E. Salameh Open Journal of Geology volume of volcanic activity, the "heretic" concept of Th. Gold [1] shouldn't be neglected: in contrast to the majority of the global "hydrocarbon community", the author infers the original presence of hydrocarbons in the deeper Earth's Mantle since its consolidation (~4.5 × 10 9 Ma) telling that exploited oil/ gas also may own an abiotic origin to be derived from the "deep hot biosphere" [1] [49] [50] [51]; (Figure 15(a) and Figure 15(b)).
Accordingly, methane does ascend in volcanic provinces (more or less slowly) from its primary depth to be oxidized moving through the upper crust, to CO 2 and H 2 O, finally accompanied by CH 4 remains (2% -5%). However, in case of fast magma ascent, with high volumes (plume v., increased MORB v., subduction v.) most of CH 4 remains unoxidyzed (unmeasured) under reduced conditions (i.e. Krakatau, Santorin, Central America) [1]. Moreover, mud volcanoes in connection with earthquakes, may provide high CH 4 volumes higher than those of economically exploited gas fields (Baku, Azerbaijan), in some cases enflamed up to ~2000 m height above ground [1]. Similar happens on sea-floor (pockmarks 1 -200 m ø ) encountered above North Sea gas fields or as "Pingos" in permafrost areas.
Thus, all in all, ascending primary fluid transform by decreasing pressure to a complex gas assemblage (CH 4 , CO 2 , H 2 , S, H 2 , N 2 , He, Ra) whose total volume may be significantly higher as hitherto measured, consequently working as a primary mineral reduction in surface sediments.
Si˚ is unsolvable in acids except HNO 3 . Regarding the depositional/diagenetic environment, the radiolarian pebble-bearing carbonate-free siliciclastics deposited in salt diapir trap position of the Beienrode Basin and Walbeck/Weferlingen subrosion bowls underwent stagnating saline pore water (mixture of fresh water, sea water, acid rain, brines) through a long lasting period (Upper Maastrichtian until lowermost Eocene!). Comparing this unusual diagenetic environment with that of the ATLANTIC II-DEEP, Red Sea, very low pH < 4 and negative Eh directed diagenesis [53].
Relating the data submitted to the end-Cretaceous sediments of N Germany ( [35], Figure 13 and Figure 14)  Summarizing the driving causes in a global geodynamic feed-back system (compare [54]; Figure 16(A) and Figure 16(B)): Figure 16. Driving causes in a global geodynamic feedback system [54].    Figure 17: [55] and Table 4 compile mass extinction with relevant kill mechanism through the Phanerozoic, showing a high loss variation of biodiversity caused by both volcanism and impacting; however, the predominant role of the first one versus "rare impact events" (comp. [21]).
Men-caused loss of biodiversity since the beginning of Industrial Revolution (~30%) falls on the upper level of Phanerozoic mass extinction and represents itself as a geological factor in Earth History [56] [57] [58].