Late Precambrian rifting in the geological history of the western slope of the South Urals

The rift-related geodynamic setting of the Late Precambrian geological evolution on the western slope of the South Urals is reconstructed on the basis of localization of lithotectonic complexes of this age, their formation conditions, and the geochemistry of rocks. The Early Riphean stage comprises accumulation of coarse-clastic rocks intercalating with alkaline volcanic rocks of the Navysh Complex, which is a constituent of the Ai Formation, and emplacement of doleritic and picritic intrusions of the Shuida Complex and melanocratic dolerite and gabbrodolerite of the Yusha Complex. The Middle Riphean stage is characterized by wide-spread coarse-clastic terrigenous rocks of the Mashak Formation that intercalate with volcanic rocks of the bimodal basalt-rhyolite association, the Berdyaush pluton of rapakivi granite, the Kusa-Kopan layered intrusive complex, the Lapyshta Complex of dolerites and picrites, and numerous occurrences of gabbrodolerites. The terrigenous rocks of the Vendian stage include conglomerate, gravelstone, and sandstone of the Asha Group, while igneous rocks comprise alkaline volcanics of the Arsha Complex, alkali gabbroids of the Miseli Complex, and melanocratic syenite of the Avashla Complex. The geological evolution of the region is distinguished by local (failed or aborted) rifting. The occurrence of lithotectonic complexes is controlled by dynamic conditions of rifting. A certain inheritance in the evolution may be traced for the Early and Middle Riphean and partly for the Late Riphean and Vendian.     

Large and giant hydrocarbon accumulations in the transitional continent-ocean zone

The petroleum resource potential is considered for the Atlantic, West Pacific, and East Pacific types of deepwater continental margins. The most considerable energy resources are concentrated at the Atlantic-type passive margins in the zone transitional to the ocean. The less studied continental slope of backarc seas of the generally active margins of the West Pacific type is currently not so rich in discoveries as the Atlantic-type margin, but is not devoid of certain expectations. In some of their parameters, the margins bounded by continental slopes may be regarded as analogs of classical passive margins. At the margins of the East Pacific type, the petroleum potential is solely confined to transform segments. In the shelf-continental-slope basins of the rift and pull-apart nature, petroleum fields occur largely in the upper fan complex, and to a lesser extent in the lower graben (rift) complex. In light of world experience, the shelf-continental-slope basins of the Arctic and Pacific margins of Russia are evaluated as highly promising.     

Lateral protrusions in the structure of the Earth’s lithosphere

The factual material and modeling results concerning the geology of specific structural elements defined as lateral protrusions, or flowing layers, are considered. The formation of such structural elements is a fundamental phenomenon that controls many features of the structural evolution and geodynamics of platform basement and foldbelts. A lateral protrusion, or flowing layer, is a spatially constrained, nearly horizontal geological body with attributes of 3D tectonic flow (rheid deformation) and lateral transport of rock masses. Flowing layers are large lateral protrusions that play important role in the structure of the continental and oceanic lithosphere. They embody the internal mobility of huge rock bodies and confirm the possibility of their lateral redistribution at different depths of the continental lithosphere. The lateral displacement of rocks within such assemblies may occur in the regime of cold deformation, heating, metamorphism, and ductile flow of rocks under subsolidus conditions or in the process of their partial melting.     

Biofacies analysis of Upper Cretaceous deposits in the Ust-Yenisei region: Implications of palynomorphs

The results of palynomorph biofacies analysis in the Upper Cretaceous deposits of the Ust-Yenisei region are presented. The established facies confinement and indicative features of separate palynomorph groups are used, along with identified dinocyst morphotypes and taxa, in paleogeographic reconstructions. Seven palynomorph associations characterizing continental, coastal-marine, shallow-and deep-water facies are distinguished based on quantitative proportions between morphological groupings and individual taxa. As boundaries between distinguishable biostratigraphic and facies subdivisions do not coincide, dinocysts were likely insignificantly dependent in distribution on facies in the West Siberian epicontinental basin at least. On the other hand, distribution trends of particular dinocyst morphotypes and other microphytofossils are correlative with transgressive-regressive cycles and can be used for reconstruction of paleoenvironments.     

Correlation of the Jurassic-Cretaceous siliceous-volcanogenic sediments in northwestern surroundings of the Pacific (Koryak Upland)

In distribution areas of the Pekul’neiveem and Chirynai formations customary distinguishable in the Koryak Upland, complicated tectonostratigraphic units are composed of alternating thrust sheets of different lithologic composition and age, which are juxtaposed because of widespread thrust faulting, as is proved by the radiolarian analysis. Nineteen radiolarian assemblages of different age are first established here in the Lower Jurassic-Hauterivian succession of siliceous-volcanogenic sediments. In the Lower Jurassic interval, the lower and upper Hettangian, lower and upper Sinemurian, and Pliensbachian beds are recognized. Paleontological characterization is also presented for the Aalenian (or Toarcian?-Aalenian), upper Bajocian, lower and upper Bathonian, and Callovian beds of the Middle Jurassic. Within the Upper Jurassic, the Oxfordian-early Kimmeridgian, late Kimmeridgian-early Tithonian, Tithonian, and late Tithonian-early Berriasian radiolarian assemblages are distinguished. The late Berriasian-early Valanginian, middle-late Valanginian, and Hauterivian radiolarian assemblages are first recognized or compositionally revised. Radiolarians and lithofacies data are used to correlate the tectonostratigraphic units and individualize the jasper-alkali basaltic (lower Hettangian), chert-terrigenous (Hettangian-Sinemurian), jasper-cherty (Pliensbachian-Aalenian), jasper (Bajocian-Hauterivian), jasper-basaltic (upper Bajocian-Valanginian), Fe-Ti basaltic (upper Bajocian-Bathonian), tuffitejasper-basaltic (Bathonian-Hauterivian), and terrigenous-volcanogenic (Bajocian-Valanginian) sequences. The correlation results are extrapolated into other continental areas flanking the Pacific, i.e., to the western Kamchatka, northern and northwestern coastal areas of the Sea of Okhotsk, where the analogous radiolarian assemblages are characteristic of comparable allochthonous units of terrigenous-siliceous-volcanogenic sediments.     

Campanian-Maastrichtian radiolarians from the Malokuril’skaya Formation,the Shikotan Island

The results of radiolarian analysis confirm the Campanian-Maastrichtian age of the Malokuril’skaya Formation in the Shikotan Island. The Campanian-Maastrichtian age of the formation is implied simultaneously by radiolarians and inoceramids. The studied Campanian and Campanian-Maastrichtian radiolarian assemblages include abundant specimens representing genus Prunobrachium, characteristic of which was bipolar distribution in cold-water to temperate basins. The new occurrence site of prunobrachids is established at the latitude of 43°N, the Far East of Russia.     

Geochronology of Pliocene volcanism in the Dzhavakheti Highland (the Lesser Caucasus). Part 1: Western part of the Dzhavakheti Highland

Isotopic-geochronological study of the Pliocene magmatic activity in western part of the Dzhavakheti Highland (northwestern region of the Lesser Caucasus) is carried out. The results obtained imply that the Pliocene magmatic activity lasted in this part of the highland approximately 2 million years from 3.75 to 1.75–1.55 Ma. As is established, the studied volcanic rocks correspond in composition mostly to K-Na subalkaline and more abundant normal basalts. Time constraints of main phases in development of basic volcanism within the study region are figured out. We assume that individual pulses of silicic to moderately silicic volcanism presumably took place in the Dzhavakheti Highland about 3.2 and 2.5 Ma ago.     

Planktonic foraminifers in the southern Bering Sea: Changes in composition and productivity during the Late Pleistocene-Holocene

Taxonomic composition and distribution of planktonic foraminifers are studied in section of Core GC-11 that penetrated through Upper Quaternary sediments of the Bowers Ridge western slope, the southern Bering Sea. As is shown, structure of foraminiferal assemblage and productivity have varied substantially during the last 32000 calendar years in response to changes in surface water temperatures and water mass circulation in the northern part of the Pacific, the Bering Sea included. The productivity was maximal during deglaciation epoch, being notably lower in the Holocene and minimal at the glaciation time.     

New fusulinids of the Moscovian Stage found in Iran

The described fusulinids of the Moscovian Stage are found in the Asad-Abad section of the Sanandaj-Sirjan tectonic zone of Iran. Five successive fusulinid assemblages are distinguished. Three lower of them belong to the Kashirian Substage, the other two to the Podolskian Substage. The section studied is correlated with most complete sections of the Moscovian Stage in the western Tethys. Two new species Fusulinella (Moellerites) pygmea and Putrella primaris are identified; in addition to nominative taxon, the latter includes new subspecies P. primaris compacta.     

The Ruiga intrusion: A typical example of a shallow-facies paleoproterozoic peridotite-gabbro-komatiite-basaltic association of the Vetreny Belt,Southeastern Fennoscandia

The Ruiga differentiated mafic-ultramafic intrusion in the northwestern part of the Vetreny Belt paleorift was described for the first time based on geological, petrological, geochronological, and geochemical data. The massif (20 km² in exposed area) is a typical example of shallow-facies peridotite-gabbro-komatiite-basalt associations and consists of three zones up to 810 m in total thickness (from bottom to top): melanogab-bronorite, peridotite, and gabbro. In spite of pervasive greenschist metamorphism, the rocks contain locally preserved primary minerals: olivine (Fo _75–86), bronzite, augite of variable composition, labradorite, and Cr-spinels. A mineral Sm-Nd isochron on olivine melanogabbronorite from the Ruiga Massif defines an age of 2.39 ± 0.05 Ga, while komatiitic basalts of the Vetreny Belt Formation were dated at 2.40–2.41 Ga (Puchtel et al., 1997). The rocks of the Ruiga intrusion and lava flows of Mt. Golets have similar major, rare-earth, and trace element composition, which suggests their derivation from a single deep-seated source. Their parent magma was presumably a high-Mg komatiitic basalt. In transitional crustal chambers, its composition was modified by olivine-controlled fractionation and crustal contamination, with the most contaminated first portions of the ejected melt. In terms of geology and geochemistry, the considered magmatic rocks of the Vetreny Belt are comparable with the Raglan Ni-PGE komatiite gabbro-peridotite complex in Canada (Naldrett, 2003).