Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Recent vertical movements from precise levelling in the vicinity of the city of Basel, Switzerland

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
International Journal of Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The southern end of the Upper Rhine Graben is one of the zones in Switzerland where recent crustal movements can be expected because of ongoing seismotectonic processes as witnessed by seismicity clusters occurring in this region. Therefore, in 1973 a control network with levelling profiles across the eastern Rhine Graben fault was installed and measured in the vicinity of the city of Basel in order to measure relative vertical movements and investigate their relationship with seismic events. As a contribution to EUCOR-URGENT, the profiles were observed a third time in the years 2002 and 2003 and connected to the Swiss national levelling network. The results of these local measurements are discussed in terms of accuracy and significance. Furthermore, they are combined and interpreted together with the extensive data set of recent vertical movements in Switzerland (Jura Mountains, Central Plateau and the Alps). In order to be able to prove height changes with precise levelling, their values should amount to at least 3–4 mm (1σ). The present investigations, however, have not shown any significant vertical movements over the past 30 years.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bitterli P (1978) Einweihung des geologischen Denkmals der Rheintalflexur Schänzli. 23. November 1978. Geologisch-Paläont. Institut Universität, Basel

  • Eckhardt P, Funk H, Labhart T (1983) Postglaziale Krustenbewegungen an der Rhein-Rhone-Linie. Vermessung, Photogrammetrie, Kulturtechnik 2:43–56

  • Geiger A, Kahle H-G, Straub C, Mueller St, Baer M and Deichmann N (1993) Geodetic measurements and their impact on the modelling of recent crustal deformations in the Alpine region. In: IAG proceeding no. 112. Springer, Potsdam, pp 369–372

  • Gubler E, Kahle H-G, Klingelé E, Mueller St, Olivier R (1981) Recent crustal movements in Switzerland and their geophysical interpretation. Tectonophysics 71:125–152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gubler E, Schneider D, Kellerhals P (1984) Bestimmung von rezenten Bewegungen der Erdkruste mit geodätischen Methoden. Nagra, Baden/Schweiz Technischer Bericht 84–17

  • Jeanrichard F (1972) Contribution à l’étude du mouvement vertival des. Alpes Boll di Geodesia e Cienze Affini 31:17–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Kahle H-G, Mueller St, Klingelé E, Egloff R and Kissling E (1980) Recent dynamics, crustal structure and gravity in the Alps. In: Moerner N-A (ed) Earth Rheology, isostasy and eustasy. Wiley, New York, pp 377–388

    Google Scholar 

  • Labhart T (1993) Geologie der Schweiz. Ott Verlag Thun/Schweiz

  • Mälzer A, unter Mitwirkung von Rösch H, Misselwitz I, Ebert M, Moosmann D (1988) Höhenänderungen in der Nordschweiz und im Südschwarzwald bis zum Bodensee. Nagra, Baden/Schweiz Technischer Bericht 88–105

  • Müller WH, Naef H, Graf HR (2002) Geologische Entwicklung der Nordschweiz, Neotektonik und Langzeitszenarien Zürcher Weinland. Nagra, Wettingen/Schweiz Technischer Bericht 99-108

  • Wiget A, Gubler E (1988) Beitrag der Geodäsie zur Geodynamik der. Alpen Bull Ver schweiz Petroleum-Geol u -Ing 54(127):9–14

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Independent of the project EUCOR-URGENT, the precision levelling observations 2002/2003 were financed by the ETH Zurich, commissioned by the Geodesy and Geodynamics Lab (GGL-ETHZ). The major part of the adjustments and documentation were financed by swisstopo as a research and development project. Special thanks go to these two organizations as well as to the Cantonal Surveying Office of the city of Basel, which was significantly involved in the previous campaigns.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Swiss Federal Office of Topography, Seftigenstrasse 264, 3084, Wabern, Switzerland

    Andreas Schlatter & Dieter Schneider

  2. Geodesy and Geodynamics Lab, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), ETH Hönggerberg, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland

    Alain Geiger & Hans-Gert Kahle

Authors
  1. Andreas Schlatter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Dieter Schneider
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Alain Geiger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hans-Gert Kahle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andreas Schlatter.

Additional information

4th EUCOR-URGENT International Symposium on “Assessing Natural Hazards in a Densely Populated Area”, Basel on 29 September–1 October 2003

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schlatter, A., Schneider, D., Geiger, A. et al. Recent vertical movements from precise levelling in the vicinity of the city of Basel, Switzerland. Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) 94, 507–514 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-004-0449-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-004-0449-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation