Patterns of Spatial Methane Distribution in the Upper Layers of the Permafrost in Central Yakutia

This article presents the results of long-term field studies on methane in the upper part of the permafrost for different geomorphological levels of Central Yakutia. Patterns of the spatial distribution of the methane content across different landscapes were found. The difference in the methane content in sediments of the Late Pleistocene ice complex on the left and right banks of the Lena River was found for the inter-alas areas. This was caused by different conditions of formation: the formation of a thin cover of deposits occurred under sub-aqua conditions favorable for methanogenesis on the left bank and in more dry aerobic conditions on the right bank. The highest concentrations of methane were found in alas deposits, where the major role belongs to the duration of freezing after draining the thermokarst lake in subaerial conditions. The methane content is highly variable both laterally and with depth in the studied deposits, but there is no redistribution after freezing; this allows one to use methane as a paleo indicator of the conditions of accumulation and freezing of sediments.     

Integrated Geophysical Works on the Kozlovka Anomaly (Kaluga Region)

This work presents integrated geophysical studies that were carried out to identify the nature of the intense magnetic anomaly detected by the results of land surveying on the right bank of the Slushka River in the territory of the Yukhnovskii district of Kaluga Region. The comprehensive interpretation of the geophysical data and the laboratory measurements of the core made it possible to determine the nature and parameters of the anomaly-forming object that is located in the upper part of the section; it consists of loams that contain such magnetic minerals as greigite, pyrrhotite, and magnetite.     

The Structure of the Sedimentary Cover of the Kandalaksha Gulf,White Sea,from Seismoacoustic Data

The geological structure of water areas adjacent to the White Sea biological research station of Moscow State University (Rugozero Bay and Great Salma Strait; both are parts of the Kandalaksha Gulf, White Sea) was studied for the first time based on the seismoacoustic data. The morphology of the top of the Achaean basement, the structure of the Quaternary sedimentary cover, and the bottom topography were investigated. The sequence of glacial deposits dated back to the last glaciation and the compound sequence consisting of glaciolacustrine, glacial-marine, and marine sediments are distinguished. The spatial locations and changes of their thicknesses are considered. It is shown that the recent bottom topography is controlled by predominantly NW- and NE-striking faults that run through the entire sedimentary sequence, including the Holocene sediments.     

Garnet-Pyroxenite-Derived End-Member Magma Type in Kamchatka: Evidence from Composition of Olivine and Olivine-Hosted Melt Inclusions in Holocene Rocks of Kekuknaisky Volcano

Late Quaternary volcanoes of Sredinny Range (Kamchatka) attract geoscientists’ attention by their unusual geochemical features and geodynamic setting. They produced volcanic rocks that are enriched relative to N-MORB in most of incompatible trace elements (except HREE), including strong enrichment in large-ion lithophile elements, and show a negative Nb–Ta anomaly, which is typical for rocks formed in supra-subduction settings. However, modern subduction of the Pacific Plate does not reach the most part of Sredinny Range, as inferred by mapping of Wadati–Benioff zone or seismic tomography. We constrain the source of parental magmas for Sredinny Range volcanic rocks by combining major and trace element geochemical data for olivine and naturally quenched olivine-hosed melt inclusions for Holocene tephra layers of the Kekuknaisky field. Composition of the most magnesian olivine (Ni > 2000 ppm, Fe/Mn ≈ 75 at Mg# ~ 84–85 mol %) and geochemical characteristics of the most primitive melts (FC3MS = 0.61 ± 0.04 (2s)) are consistent with their derivation from a pyroxenite source, while elevated LREE/HREE ratios in lavas indicate that it contained garnet. This garnet-bearing pyroxenite likely originated from the lower crust or lithospheric mantle. Its melting could have occurred due to delamination and sinking into the hotter mantle.     

Biostratigraphy and Sedimentary Settings of the Middle Devonian Succession of the Yuryung-Tumus Peninsula,Khatanga Gulf of the Laptev Sea

The age of the Paleozoic sedimentary successions of the Yuryung-Tumus Peninsula in the Khatanga Gulf is determined as Middle Devonian, late Eifelian, and the beginning of the early Givetian on the basis of the study of brachiopods, ammonoids, nautiloids, bactritoids, gastropods, and conodonts, and in the terminology of the standard conodont succession, these deposits are not older than the late Eifelian Tortodus kockelianus Zone, but include the terminal Eifelian Polygnathus ensensis Zone and the first Givetian Polygnathus hemiansatus Zone and are no younger than the beginning of the early Givetian Polygnathus varcus Zone. The Middle Devonian sedimentary successions of the Yuryung-Tumus Peninsula show the level of the global sedimentary Ka?ak Event. The areas of distribution of the Devonian sedimentary deposits in the Yuryung-Tumus Peninsula in the Khatanga Gulf should be considered as one of the fragments of the regional geological structures of a remote (isolated?) region of the Taymyr Fold System rather than a component of the structures of the northern Siberian Platform.     

Jurassic and Early Cretaceous Radiolarians of Siliceous Sequences of the Vaamychgyn–Podgornaya Interfluve,Econai Zone,Koryak Highland

The assemblages of the Early Jurassic (Hettangian–Pliensbachian) and Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous (Tithonian–Berriasian) radiolarians were described for the first time in the eastern part of the Ekonai Zone of the Koryak Highland. The Hettangian–Pliensbachian assemblage was found in siliceous rocks of the Ionai Nappe and this finding expands the stratigraphic interval of its siliceous sequences from the Carboniferous to the Early Jurassic. The Tithonian–Berriasian assemblage was found in volcanosiliceous rocks of the Yanranai accretionary complex. Both assemblages contain taxa abundant in the Tethyan regions.     

Age and Provenance Areas of Terrigenous Rocks of the Dzhida Terrane: Results of U—Th—Pb (LA-ICP-MS) Geochronological Study of Detrital Zircons

The results of U—Th—Pb (LA-ICP-MS) geochronological studies of detrital zircons from terrigenous rocks of the Dzhida terrane of the Central Asian Fold Belt (CAFB) are presented. The data obtained allow us to distinguish the following age maxima (Ma): 578 and 634 (Vendian); 720, 823, and 919 (Late Riphean); 1922, 2090, 2225, and 2321 (Early Proterozoic). A number of zircons have Late Archean age in the interval of 2670–2980 Ma. Taking into account Late Cambrian age (504–506 Ma) of intrusive rocks that intruded the Dzhida terrane, a possible sedimentation period of sequences of this terrane is estimated to be in the interval of 580–510 Ma (from Vendian to Late Cambrian). The possible provenance areas of terrigenous sediments are proposed and the previously proposed models of geodynamic evolution of the Dzhida terrane are correlated with new geochronological data.     

中朝边境天池破火山口湖底地形多波束测深探测

为调查天池破火山口湖的基本参数和湖底地形特征,研究破火山口的内部构造、破火山口的组合样式和垮塌堆积分布,本文采用多波束测深方法,对天池湖底地形进行了探测。探测结果显示:天池最大水深值为373.2m,天池水域边界实测周长为13.44km,天池湖水面面积9.4km~2,天池总蓄水量约为19.88×10~8m~3。天池周边分布4个温泉,温度为7~47℃。根据湖底地形推断,现今的天池破火山口形成于千年大喷发。其后,在天池西侧形成一个喷火口,东侧形成一个熔岩丘。天池湖底存在5个较大的破火山口内壁垮塌堆积区,但在湖底未见熔岩流。天池边缘出露的温泉点对应环状断裂,同时反映深部存在岩浆体。     

东昆仑五龙沟金矿田控矿构造带的变形条件——来自EBSD组构的启示

五龙沟金矿田是东昆仑地区最重要的金矿集中区之一,金矿田主要控矿构造为偏脆性断裂破碎带,在三条控矿构造带中仅在萤石沟—红旗沟构造带邻近北侧的局部出露韧性变形带。本文作者运用电子背散射衍射技术(EBSD)技术方法,对东昆仑五龙沟金矿田萤石沟—红旗沟构造带变形岩石的组构分析显示,花岗质糜棱岩韧性变形强烈,大部分样品石英变形机制是以中温I级柱面(1010)1120滑移为主,变形式样比较单一;少量样品为中高温II级柱面(101—0)0001滑移和中低温底面(0001)112—0滑移。从岩石组构特点结合宏观构造分析,五龙沟金矿田萤石沟—红旗沟构造带及其邻近北侧经历了中-中深层次、中-中高温条件(15~25 km,t=350~550°C,P=0.40~0.60 Gpa)的韧性变形,局部叠加中浅层次、中低温条件(10~15 km,t=250~350°C,P=0.25~0.40 Gpa)的韧脆性变形;而岩金沟和三道梁—苦水泉构造带为低温低压条件的脆性破碎带。结合变形花岗闪长岩年代学资料,确定构造变形时代为早中生代。