Here are some rather touristic impressions from the field campaign (click on the pcitures to enlarge). The task of the first session was to find appropriate sections...
The
Peitlerkofel (
Sas de Pütia) as seen from "Würzjoch". As you see there is still plenty of snow in May. We were'nt able to document a section here. The reddish/grey slope in the foreground is Grödner Sandstein Formation (Permian). Terrestrial plain and river sediments. The Permian Bellerophon Formation and the Permotriassic Werfen Formation is well-covered with snow.
The Permian Grödner Sandstein of the Bletterbachschlucht. Supervisor for scale in the lower left. This is a spectacular gorge. Unfortunately the upper part of the canyon was not accessible due to floods earlier this year. So we did'nt see the P/T boundary below the
Weisshorn.
The Werfen Formation below
Cimon della Pala at Passo di Rolle. In fact a nice outcrop but very risky when it comes to sampling and documenting the section.
Me on the way to
Cima dell Uomo above Passo San Pellegrino. Snow everywere.
The Bellerophon Formation at the slopes of the
Aferer Geisler seen from the Günther Messner Steig.
Me for scale at the Val Badia Member (Werfen Fm.), Val a Averta
Packing samples after 5 days of work at the Aferer Geisler section.
The upper 30 metres or so of the Aferer Geisler section (Seis Member). Supervisor (black something) for scale somewhere in the lower left.
The lower Werfen (from lower right to upper left): Mazzin Member, Andraz Horizon Member, Seis Member, ?Gastropod Oolith Member and Campil Member (red). The photo is taken from the slopes between
Cima dell Oumo and
Costabella (Passo San Pellegrino).
The upper Werfen below Costabella. It does'nt look spectacular but it is the best outcrop seen so far to see the complete upper Werfen Formation without breaking my neck. It is just too far to identify the members from this perspective.
These dudes saved my life several times i guess.
There it is: The End-Permian Extinction level at
Rosengarten/Catinaccio. The lower bed is full of shelly fossils whilst the upper bed is devoid of life. Certainly, you can see such contrasts in other settings as well merely due to facies change or something but the following beds yield almost no fossils. Some authors refer to the "End Permian Death Zone".
Trees.
Cimon della Pala seen from Val Venegia.
I won't take this way.
San Pellegrino seen from Costabella.
A similar view 13 days earlier.
A typical Dolomite landscape in Val Badia near Misci and Seres. The mountain in the background should be
Kreuzkofel (
Sasso Croce).
Latemar seen from
Rosengarten/Catinaccio.
A Bob Ross painting: Karer See with Latemar.
Cimon della Pala from Val Venegia
The Rosengarten/Catinaccio section exposing the lower Werfen Formation (click to enlarge). Not to scale due to perspective distortion in the upper part. Whole outcrop represents approximately 90 metres of exposed strata. Oh, I forgot to indicate that the extinction level roughly represents the Permian-Triassic boundary.
