A Long-Lived Center of Gas–Fluid Emanations on the Western Slope of the Kuril Basin (Sea of Okhotsk)

Lithology and Mineral Resources - The paper presents the results of multidisciplinary studies in the carbonate–barite mineralization area revealed on the western slope of the Kuril deep-water...     

Eolian indicator mineral dispersion haloes from the Orapa kimberlite cluster,Botswana

This paper presents the results of an investigation into the structure of eolian kimberlite indicator minerals (KIMs) haloes present within Quaternary Kalahari Group sediments (up to 20 m thick) overlying the Late Cretaceous kimberlites in the Orapa field in North-East Botswana. A database of more than 8000 samples shows that kimberlites create a general mineralogical blanket of KIMs of various distances of transportation from primary sources in the Orapa area. Models of the reflection and dispersion patterns of KIMs derived from kimberlite pipes including AK10/ AK22/AK23 have been revealed based on 200 selected heavy mineral samples collected during diamond prospecting activities in Botswana from 2014 to 2017. Short distance eolian haloes situated close to kimberlite bodies cover gentle slopes within plains up to 500 × 1000 m in size. They have regularly have oval or conical shapes and are characterized by the presence mainly of unabraded or only slightly abraded KIMs. A sharp reduction of their concentration from hundreds and thousands of grains / 20 l immediately above kimberlites toto 10 grains/20 l at a distance of only 100–200 m from the pipes is a standard feature of these haloes. The variation of concentration, morphology and abrasion of specific KIMs with increasing distance from the primary sources has been investigated and presented herein. Sample volumes recommended for pipes present within a similar setting as those studied, with different depth of sedimentary cover are as follows: up to 10–20 m cover at 20–50 l, 20–30 m cover at 50–100 l and 30–80 m cover at 250 l. It is important to appreciate that the discovery of even single grains of unabraded or slightly abraded KIMs in eolian haloes are of high prospecting significance in this area. The results of the research can be applied to in diamond prospecting programs in various regions with similar environments.

     

Kimberlites distribution in Angola and prospective areas for new discoveries

Based on a comprehensive analysis of kimberlite pipes of Angola, including the near surface structural setting, deep lithospheric structure, pipe morphology and emplacement, mineralogical and petrographic features, diamond characteristics and locations of secondary deposits four geographical regions have been outlined within Angola representing four types of diamond bearing potential. These areas include high diamond bearing potential pipes, possible potential, no potential, and unclear potential areas. It was found that the depth of magmatism and diamond potential of kimberlites increases from the Atlantic coast in southwestern Angola into the continent in the north-easterly direction. Areas prospective for the discovery of new primary diamond deposits have been identified.

     

The Effect of Environmental Factors on the Cognitive Functions of Cadets at a Military Institute

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - The relevance of studying the influence of environmental factors on the psychophysiological characteristics of cognitive functions of cadets at a naval...     

Broadband Spectrum of the X-ray Binary M33 X-6 from NuSTAR and Swift–XRT Data: An Extragalactic Z-Source?

We present the results of our study of the X-ray spectrum for the source X-6 in the nearby galaxy M33 obtained for the first time at energies above 10 keV from the data of the NuSTAR orbital telescope. The archival Swift–XRT data for energy coverage below 3 keV have been used, which has allowed the spectrum of M33 X-6 to be constructed in the wide energy range 0.3–20 keV. The spectrum of the source is well described by the model of an optically and geometrically thick accretion disk with a maximum temperature of ~2 keV and an inner radius of ~5 cos^?1/2θ km (where >θ is the unknown disk inclination angle with respect to the observer). There is also evidence for the presence of an additional hard component in the spectrum. The X-ray luminosity ofM33 X-6 measured for the first time in the wide energy range 0.3–20 keV is ~2 × 10³⁸ erg s^?1, with the luminosity in the hard 10–20 keV X-ray band being ~10% of the source’s total luminosity. The results obtained suggest that X-6 may be a Z-source, i.e., an X-ray binary with subcritical accretion onto a weakly magnetized neutron star.     

Residence of incompatible trace elements in a large spinel lherzolite xenolith from alkali basalt of Shavaryn Tsaram-1 paleovolcano (western Mongolia)

We have studied a large (12 × 22 × 30 cm) spinel lherzolite xenolith with undeformed margins in alkali basalt (basanite) from the eroded crater of Late Cenozoic Shavaryn Tsaram-1 volcano in western Mongolia. The xenolith was sampled along its median transversal profile, at every 15–20 mm for bulk chemistry of lherzolite and basalt (ICP-MS) and at 4–10 mm for the chemistry of olivine, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene, and Cr-spinel minerals, and of material filling cracks (LA ICP-MS). Incompatible elements (especially, LREE) are distributed unevenly over the xenolith, both in lherzolite and in its constituent minerals, as well as in crack-filling material, with abnormal LREE enrichment in some specimens. Judging by the measured trace-element spectra compared with the model patterns, incompatible elements reside in different amounts as interstitial impurity in cracks inside and between mineral grains in lherzolite, also being a substitutional impurity in the lherzolite constituent minerals. Experimental acid leaching of specimens from sites of high crack density showed (La/Yb)_n ratios in the crack fill to be much higher than in the basalt host and more so in bulk lherzolite (180 against 33 and 1.5–3.6, respectively). The proportional contents of P and Ca in the leaching solution, especially in that from the xenolith’s center mark the presence of an apatite microphase, which can be a LREE repository.The observed patterns of LREE and other incompatible elements in the xenolith and in the host alkali basalt fit a model implying that mobile elements residing as interstitial impurity came with fluids which were released from rising basaltic magma and percolated into the xenolith along cracks.     

Crystallization conditions of the alkaline-basic dike from the Yllymakh Massif,Central Aldan: Evidence from melt inclusion data in minerals

Alkaline-basic dike from the Yllymakh Massif (Central Aldan) has been studied. Its partially crystallized matrix contains corroded phenocrysts of olivine and hypidiomorphic phenocrysts of clinopyroxene and pseudo-, epileucite. It was found that phenocrysts of clinopyroxene contain abundant primary inclusions, Ti-magnetite and apatite bear only single inclusions, whereas olivine is enriched in secondary inclusions, which are confined to the cleavage of host mineral (along second and third pinacoids) and its cracks. The homogenization temperatures of the primary inclusions in clinopyroxene and secondary inclusions in olivine are approximately equal and lie within 1260–1240°C. The compositions of melt inclusions in olivine and clinopyroxene are also similar and corresponded to the malignite-pseudoleucite phonolite-monzonite pulaskites, which are developed at the Yllymakh Massif. Unheated inclusions in apatite and Ti-magnetite compositionally approach monzonites and nepheline syenites—tinguaites, respectively. It was concluded that the alkaline basaltoid magma was presumably parental magma for the entire rock complex of the Yllymakh Massif. Its crystallization and differentiation presumably provided all observed rock variety from ultrabasics (early derivatives located at depth) and malignites (later derivatives) to leucite phonolites, monzonites, and alkaline pulaskites, which were obtained during subsequent stages of the melt evolution. The parental magma, and especially its derivatives, were enriched in BaO (0.8–0.1 wt %), Cl (0.1–0.3 wt %) and trace elements (primarily, LREE and MREE), which are several times higher than mantle values. At the same time, ion microprobe (SIMS) study showed that derivative melts were dry: contained only 0.01–1.13 wt % H₂O. The trend of melts conserved in the minerals and the massif rocks corresponds to the evolution of alkalinebasaltoid magma with increase in Si, Al, alkalis and decrease in Mg, Ca, and Fe, i.e. the Bowen trend. The considered alkaline-basic dike was presumably formed from the derivative of leucite-phonolite melt, which during emplacement captured olivine xenocrysts from previously fractionated ultrabasic rocks. The parental magma was presumably derived by high-degree melting of garnet-spinel-facies depleted mantle at some influence of crustal material.     

Paleoseismic Events Reflected in Late Pleistocene and Holocene Deposits of the Terraces of Imandra Lake (Kola Region,Fennoscandian Shield)

Doklady Earth Sciences - Soft-sediment deformation structures have been identified in glaciolacustrine deposits of the terrace complexes of Imandra Lake (Kola Region, northeastern part of the...     

Engineering and Ecological Geology at Moscow State University in the 2008–2017 Period (to the 80th Anniversary of the Chair of Engineering and Ecological Geology)

The results of scientific and educational activities of the Chair of Engineering and Ecological Geology in the 2008—2017 period, its structure, scientific and organizing activities, as well as information about state and public recognition of the Chair’s staff works are characterized.