Migration of fluids controlled by equidistant fracture systems: an examplefrom Central Europe (Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria)

An extensive system of equidistant, N-S-trending linear zones has been iden tified to cut across crystalline and sedimentary units of the Bohemian Mass if, Czech Republic and peripheral parts of the Alpine-Carpathian chain in A ustria and Slovakia. The system represents the lines of weakness that were periodically reactivated and provided conduits for hydrothermal fluids of d eep-seated origin. Post-Variscan fluid events were recorded through lineame nt-associated occurrences of volcanic intrusions, calcareous tufas, mineral ised veins and hydrothermal karst that occur along these lineaments. Discha rges of mineral and thermal waters, warm subsurface brines and the gas flux es along some lineaments demonstrate present-day activity of the system. N- S-trending linear zones distinguished in Central Europe are comparable to a pparently similar linear systems in Arabia, Africa and Russia. (C) 2000 Els evier Science B.V. All rights reserved.