The natural link between mountains, plains and delta’s is erosion and movement of material (sediments) in and from sources (mountains), the transport and movement of sediments by river systems to the plains, and deposition and storage in the sink zones (delta’s and sedimentary basins). These areas cumulated form together a Source to Sink system. The interplay of tectonic-surface-climate processes is responsible for the growth and decay of mountain belts and basins, i.e. topography and mass (re)distribution from deeper parts of the crust and at the earth surface. The coupled dynamic system encompasses pathways of material through movement, delivery, (re)distribution and accumulation, i.e. the source-sink relation. Climate and tectonics erode orogenic mountain ranges exhuming deeply buried rocks and erosion controls sediment production and transport at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. Many conceptual models have been developed to link the observations in the field to the forces and processes affecting topography, morphology and structure at different geological sites. However the mechanisms and strengths of the coupling and feedbacks between tectonics and surface processes are still poorly understood because of the lack of insight into the causes of the variability in spatial and temporal patterns and rates. Source-to-sink studies in continental margins and their interiors have shown that the nature of sediment source, transfer and sink zones is determined by the geo-setting. Patterns and rates of sediment delivery through drainage nets are related to the tectonic, climatic and land use settings of the region. Therefore, the nature and rate of differing geomorphic processes that deliver sediments vary markedly in areas with tectonically stable and tectonically active settings. This in turn results in significant variability in sediment transfer relationships, with rapid transfer of materials in some landscapes, extensive residence times of storage units in others, and landscapes in which sediments transfer linkages may be spatially and temporally disconnected. The Danube River Basin – Black Sea area represents one example of suitable natural laboratory for studying the interplay between lithospheric and surface processes and the source-sink relationships.
We invite contributions in all spatial and temporal scales studying SourceSink system with different methodologies. Although the Danube River Basin – Black Sea system forms the main target, similar studies from other source-sink systems are very welcome.

The Source to Sink session is a common initiative of the principal investigators of the ESF EUROCORES TOPO-EUROPE SourceSink project: Paul Andriessen, Gunay Cifci, Corneliu Dinu, Juraj Francu, Bernhard Fügenschuh, Daniel Garcia-Castellanos, Michal Kovac, Gilles Lericolais, Liviu Matenco, Nicolae Panin, Lothar Schrott

Sponsored by: International Lithosphere Programme, European Science Foundation.

Invited Speakers:
Hilmar von Eynatten, University of Gottingen