Stages of Trap Magmatism in the Norilsk Area: New Data on the Structure and Geochemistry of the Volcanic Rocks

A periodic character of the evolution of trap magmatism was inferred by many researchers from the fact that sequences of volcanic rocks consist of alternating units of lava flows and tuff. A new phase of studying magmatic rocks in the Siberian Platform was related to the possibility of apply high-precision geochemical techniques in studying trace elements and Sr, Nd, and Pb isotopic compositions. The use of these techniques made it possible not only to identify small individual cycles in the vertical sections of volcanic rocks but also to distinguish larger stages. The currently most widely acknowledged scenario of the origin of volcanic rocks involves three stages, during which oceanic-island basalts (OIB), transitional series (intermediate between OIB and WPB), and within-plate basalts (WPB) were formed. This scenario was inferred mostly from data on rocks in the western part of the Norilsk area (Kharaelakh Trough). This publication presents recently obtained data on the inner structure of the sequences of volcanic rocks and the geochemistry of basalts in the eastern part of the territory, where no rocks show transitional characteristics have ever been found. They can be classified into two types that have clearly different composition and occur in different areas. These types characterize two major stages of the origin of volcanic rocks: rift-related and trap magmatism itself. The rocks produced during these stages occur at neighboring territories.     

Paleoproterozoic Granitoids of the Yurovka Swell Basement (Okhotsk Massif): First U–Pb SIMS Geochronological and Nd–Sr Isotope–Geochemical Data

The first results of U–Pb SIMS geochronological and Nd–Sr isotope–geochemical studies of the Yurovka Complex metavolcanics and granitoids of the Luktur Complex belonging to the Yurovka Swell yielded a Paleoproterozoic age of their formation pointing to a considerable Paleoproterozoic continental crust formation event. These data allow us to reconsider existing ideas about the similarity of the composition and age of the basement of the Yurovka Swell and that of the Paleoarchaean Kukhtui Swell of the Okhotsk Massif.     

Geochemical Evolution and Ore-Bearing Metasomatic Rocks of the Baga-Gazryn Multiphase Massif of Rare-Metal Li–F Granites (Mongolia)

Doklady Earth Sciences - This paper considers the geochemical evolution of igneous and metasomatic rocks in the Baga-Gazryn Massif on the basis of new precision analytical data. The Baga-Gazryn...     

Seasonal and interannual variations of water chemistry in the headwater streams of the Angara River (Baikal) from 1950 to 2010

The study addressed seasonal and interannual variations in the components of the trophic status (organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus; silica; suspended matter; and chlorophyll-a) and ionic composition (bicarbonates, sulfates, chlorides, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium) in the headwater streams of the Angara River since the 1950s. The results show that the concentrations and seasonal variations of these components and long-term trends of their mean annual concentrations resulted from the interplay of biological, hydrological, and anthropogenic processes operating in Lake Baikal and reflect the current ecological state of the lake.     

A late Cenozoic Earth's crust and climate dynamics record from Lake Baikal

The sedimentary record from Lake Baikal (Siberia, Russia) has been an important source of information about paleoclimatic variability in the northern hemisphere and dynamics of continental rift development. A lack of reliable chronology has, however, been a major obstacle to fully utilizing the Baikal archive for time scales beyond about 4-5 Myr. In this paper we use the distribution of ¹⁰Be to establish a new chronology for the longest core drilled in Lake Baikal so far. The ¹⁰Be-based chronology spans the last 8 Myr and provides better constraints on sedimentation rates and consequently on an east-west tectonic extension in the lake, which has been apparently coeval with other rifts in Asia that are related to the Tibetan plateau uplift. Our data also show higher ¹⁰Be flux in the sediment section older then 5 Myr compared with the younger period. This can be explained partly by warm and humid climatic conditions of the Miocene and partly by a high cosmic ray flux to the Earth resulting from possible low geomagnetic field intensity during that time.     

Mineralogy, geochemistry and stratigraphy of the Maslovsky Pt–Cu–Ni sulfide deposit, Noril’sk Region, Russia

We report new data on the stratigraphy, mineralogy and geochemistry of the rocks and ores of the Maslovsky Pt–Cu–Ni sulfide deposit which is thought to be the southwestern extension of the Noril’sk 1 intrusion. Variations in the Ta/Nb ratio of the gabbro-dolerites hosting the sulfide mineralization and the compositions of their pyroxene and olivine indicate that these rocks were produced by two discrete magmatic pulses, which gave rise to the Northern and Southern Maslovsky intrusions that together host the Maslovsky deposit. The Northern intrusion is located inside the Tungusska sandstones and basalt of the Ivakinsky Formation. The Southern intrusion cuts through all of the lower units of the Siberian Trap tuff-lavas, including the Lower Nadezhdinsky Formation; demonstrating that the ore-bearing intrusions of the Noril’sk Complex post-date that unit. Rocks in both intrusions have low TiO₂ and elevated MgO contents (average mean TiO₂ <1 and MgO?=?12?wt.%) that are more primitive than the lavas of the Upper Formations of the Siberian Traps which suggests that the ore-bearing intrusions result from a separate magmatic event. Unusually high concentrations of both HREE (Dy+Yb+Er+Lu) and Y (up to 1.2 and 2.1?ppm, respectively) occur in olivines (Fo_79.5 and 0.25% NiO) from picritic and taxitic gabbro-dolerites with disseminated sulfide mineralization. Thus accumulation of HREE, Y and Ni in the melts is correlated with the mineral potential of the intrusions. The TiO₂ concentration in pyroxene has a strong negative correlation with the Mg# of both host mineral and Mg# of host rock. Sulfides from the Northern Maslovsky intrusion are predominantly chalcopyrite–pyrrhotite–pentlandite with subordinate and minor amounts of cubanite, bornite and millerite and a diverse assemblage of rare precious metal minerals including native metals (Au, Ag and Pd), Sn–Pd–Pt–Bi–Pb compounds and Fe–Pt alloys. Sulfides from the Southern Maslovsky intrusion have δ ³⁴S?=?5–6‰ up to 10.8‰ in two samples whereas the country rock basalt have δ ³⁴S?=?3–4‰, implying there was no in situ assimilation of surrounding rocks by magmas.     

The Late Pleistocene megafauna of the Chulym River basin,southeastern West Siberian Plain: chronology and stable isotope composition

New data were obtained for the Chulym River basin in the southeastern part of the West Siberian Plain, one of the understudied parts of Siberia in terms of age and composition of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes for Late Pleistocene megafauna. The ¹⁴C dates from the Sergeevo outcrop, the most complete section of Late Quaternary deposits in the region, are mostly greater than ~30 550 bp. Other localities yielded ¹⁴C values in the range from >44 500 to ~19 300 bp. The finite date of ~42 270 bp for the Khozarian steppe elephant (Mammuthus trogontherii chosaricus) from Asino is intriguing because previously it was not detected in the Late Pleistocene of Siberia after the last interglacial (Marine Isotope Stage 5e), ~115 000–130 000 years ago. Stable isotope data show both similarities and differences compared to the pre-Last Glacial Maximum megafaunal species in other parts of Siberia.     

Determination of proper motions for AC stars: First results

Proper motions of the stars of the Astrographic Catalogue are being derived, using the Hubble Space Telecope Guide Star Catalogue as second epoch. Results on the San Fernando and Cordoba AC zones are presented. Identification with GSC stars (i.e. determination of proper motion) was successful for 97 percent of all AC stars. Comparison of the proper motions thus derived with those of Preliminary PPM South shows that the accuracy is about 0.8 to 0.9 arcsec per century. Thus we can derive proper motions for about 4 million stars, with an accuracy higher than that of the SAO Catalogue.     

Recent Volumetric Deformations of Fault Zones

Izvestiya, Physics of the Solid Earth - Abstract—Volumetric (non-shear) deformations of fault zones measured from leveling data are analyzed. It is shown that volumetric deformations within...