Salt tectonics

Halokinese or salt tectonics is the salt movement in salt due to the enormous pressure of the overlying strata ( Hangendschichten ). Because of this fluidity salt pillows, salt domes or salt domes may arise. Here, rising salt pierce the Hangendschichten and form structural traps for hydrocarbons ( oil and gas). These are, for example, the contact points of the pierced Hangendschichten with the salt structure or the uppermost portion of the bulged layers, where these properties have to store hydrocarbons.

The theory behind the Halokinese was developed about the same time of Ferdinand Trusheim and Rudolf Meinhold. Through the forms of salt structures and hence the potential for hydrocarbons deposits with an exploration geophysical methods is possible. In the 1930s, a large portion of salt domes in the northern German lowlands was determined by gravimetric measurements by Hans Haalck, Rudolf Meinhold, Fritz Haalck, Gerhard Richter- Bernburg and others have found, among other things, the Gorleben salt dome. The salt tectonics in northern Germany and mainly affects Mesozoic Cenozoic layers and is caused by the salts of the Zechstein.

A more detailed exploration method is the reflection seismology, in which can be found at the sediment layer boundaries in the subsurface of course inclined bed boundaries of shock waves and their reflections.

Geomorphological standpoint Halokinese expressed often by forming a broad saddle or narrow saddle.