Lacustrine and Coal Deposits of the Sokolov Basin, Eger Graben, as an Archive of Miocene Continental Paleoenvironments, Paleoclimate and Tectonics

Lacustrine sediments and largely also coal seams are sensitive indicators of palaeoenvironmental changes. Lake metabolism is very responsive not only to global climatic and geotectonic changes, but also to local climatic, vegetation, erosional and tectonic changes. These processes are frequently linked by reciprocal feedbacks and resulting system behavior is usually non-linear. Understanding a global climatic influence on a paleolake evolution, and filtering off local controls, requires  multidisciplinary approach. Proposed project is focused on the detailed study of 200 m thick succession of lacustrine Cypris Formation and underlying Antonín Coal Seam in the Sokolov Basin (Miocene), where depositional rhytmicity of several orders were observed. Project has strong multidisciplinary nature integrating sedimentological, cyclostratigraphical, magnetostratigraphical, petrological, petrophysical, geochemical and palaeontological approaches. Aim of the proposed project is paleonvironmental and paleoclimatic reconstruction of the Miocene paleolake and comparison of results with data from other Miocene lakes in Europe. Integrated methodological approach will contribute to our understanding of Miocene climate changes and mechanisms of their record to sedimentary rocks.