Large debris avalanches and associated eruptions in the Holocene eruptive history of Shiveluch Volcano, Kamchatka, Russia

 Shiveluch Volcano, located in the Central Kamchatka Depression, has experienced multiple flank failures during its lifetime, most recently in 1964. The overlapping deposits of at least 13 large Holocene debris avalanches cover an area of approximately 200 km² of the southern sector of the volcano. Deposits of two debris avalanches associated with flank extrusive domes are, in addition, located on its western slope. The maximum travel distance of individual Holocene avalanches exceeds 20 km, and their volumes reach ∼3 km³. The deposits of most avalanches typically have a hummocky surface, are poorly sorted and graded, and contain angular heterogeneous rock fragments of various sizes surrounded by coarse to fine matrix. The deposits differ in color, indicating different sources on the edifice. Tephrochronological and radiocarbon dating of the avalanches shows that the first large Holocene avalanches were emplaced approximately 4530–4350 BC. From ∼2490 BC at least 13 avalanches occurred after intervals of 30–900 years. Six large avalanches were emplaced between 120 and 970 AD, with recurrence intervals of 30–340 years. All the debris avalanches were followed by eruptions that produced various types of pyroclastic deposits. Features of some surge deposits suggest that they might have originated as a result of directed blasts triggered by rockslides. Most avalanche deposits are composed of fresh andesitic rocks of extrusive domes, so the avalanches might have resulted from the high magma supply rate and the repetitive formation of the domes. No trace of the 1854 summit failure mentioned in historical records has been found beyond 8 km from the crater; perhaps witnesses exaggerated or misinterpreted the events. Received: 18 August 1997 / Accepted: 19 December 1997     

Resource-based development in the Russian Far East: Problems and prospects

The paper examines the prospects for resource-based development in the Russian Far East. It adopts a critical perspective on the potential for resource-based development by examining problems with Far East resource industries, specifically by looking at the experience of the other resource economies more generally. In particular, it highlights the new geo-economic context for resource development in the Far East of Russia as the world economy approaches the much touted, and now questioned, ‘Pacific Century’.     

2014 IGU Regional Conference held in Krakow,Poland

The 2014 Regional Conference of the International Geographical Union（IGU）was held on August 18-22 in Krakow,Poland.The total number of participants was 1374 from 64 countries and regions,including 357 from Poland.Germany,Japan,Czech,UK,China,Russia,USA,France and Hungary are the top countries of attendees in this conference.     

中国与俄罗斯及中亚地区的贸易格局分析

作为上海合作组织成员国及丝绸之路经济带的重点区域,俄罗斯及中亚地区与中国经贸关系日益密切,对中国内陆开放及地缘政治安全具有重大意义。利用贸易强度指数、贸易互补性指数、出口集中指数等,对1992-2012年中国与俄罗斯及中亚地区的贸易发展历程及空间格局、进出口产品格局进行深入分析。结果显示双方贸易强度不断提升,且贸易互补性增强,同时俄罗斯及中亚出口产品种类明显增加。当前双方贸易格局呈现以下特点:俄罗斯及中亚形成了以资源类初级产品为绝对主导的出口产品结构,中国则以机械设备及纺织服装等为主;中国对其出口贸易格局是边境贸易与地区产业专业化格局叠加的结果,进口贸易格局则受边境贸易及能源需求格局的影响。     

Early Norian flora from Partizansk River Basin of Primorye, Russia

IntroductionThe Late Triassic strata andflora developed andwell outcropped in southern Pri morye,Russia.Thestrata are marine and non-marine alternate for eachother and yield abundant mollusk and plant fossilsinwhich the Late Triassic Mongugai flora is well-known in the world.Kryshtofovich(1910,1921,1924)and Kryshtofovich&Prynada(1932)studiedthis florainthe earlier ti me,and consequently,Sre-brodolyskaja(1958,1961,1968),Schorokhova(1975,1977,1997,2004)and Krassilov&Schorokhova(1970,1975)ma…     

POSSIBLE HYDROGEOCHEMICAL PRECONDITIONS FOR KASHIN－BECK DISEASE IN TRANSBAIKALIA

ＰＯＳＳＩＢＬＥＨＹＤＲＯＧＥＯＣＨＥＭＩＣＡＬＰＲＥＣＯＮＤＩＴＩＯＮＳＦＯＲＫＡＳＨＩＮ－ＢＥＣＫＤＩＳＥＡＳＥＩＮＴＲＡＮＳＢＡＩＫＡＬＩＡ￥ＺａｍａｎａＬｅｏｎｉｄＶａｓｉｌｅｖｉｃｈ（ＣｈｉｔａＩｎｓｔｉｔｕｔｅｏｆＮａｔｕｒａｌＲｅｓｏｕ...     

Palaeoecological evidence of changes in vegetation and climate during the Holocene in the pre‐Polar Urals,northeast European Russia

This study investigated Holocene tree‐line history and climatic change in the pre‐Polar Urals, northeast European Russia. A sediment core from Mezhgornoe Lake situated at the present‐day alpine tree‐line was studied for pollen, plant macrofossils, Cladocera and diatoms. A peat section from Vangyr Mire in the nearby mixed mountain taiga zone was analysed for pollen. The results suggest that the study area experienced a climatic optimum in the early Holocene and that summer temperatures were at least 2°C warmer than today. Tree birch immigrated to the Mezhgornoe Lake area at the onset of the Holocene. Mixed spruce forests followed at ca. 9500–9000 ¹⁴C yr BP. Climate was moist and the water level of Mezhgornoe Lake rose rapidly. The hypsithermal phase lasted until ca. 5500–4500 ¹⁴C yr BP, after which the mixed forest withdrew from the Mezhgornoe catchment as a result of the climate cooling. The gradual altitudinal downward shift of vegetation zones resulted in the present situation, with larch forming the tree‐line. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impact of copper smelting on lakes in the southern Ural Mountains,Russia, inferred from chironomids

Karabash (52°2 N, 60°10 E) is a copper smelting town in the southern Ural Mountains of Russia. The town is affected by sulphur dioxide emissions and deposition of metal-rich particulates from the smelter, acid drainage from old mine workings, and leachates from disused waste dumps and tailings dams. The close proximity of houses to these sources of pollution is of concern to human health and has devastated terrestrial vegetation in the environs. The environmental impact of the smelter on lakes in the area has been assessed using chironomids. Short sediment cores were taken from 16 lakes within a 50 km radius of the smelter and the composition of the chironomid fauna from the bottom of each core, representing conditions prior to the commissioning of the smelter in 1910, was compared with the present chironomid fauna in the surface sediments. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that changes in the chironomid fauna of most lakes were driven by trophic change, independent of the industrial activity. Lakes and ponds adjacent to the smelter and waste dumps, which directly receive contaminated waters were devoid of macro- and mesofauna and flora, but there is no evidence that other lakes have been severely impacted by smelter emissions. Local geology ensures that the lakes are well-buffered to the effects of acid deposition which will limit the bioavailability of metals in the water column and sediment.     

Radon-rich waters in Russia

In radon mineral curative waters, according to Russian mineral water classification, the radon concentration should be greater than 185 Bq/l. There are about 30 mineral waters with high levels of radon in Russia. Radon-rich waters have high therapeutic effects. It is proven that natural background radiation stimulates the human immune system. Radon is a natural radioactive gas that has no taste, smell or color. Radon-222 is one of the heaviest elements in the zero groups of inert gases. It is a gaseous radioactive element. All radon isotopes are -emitters while the transformation of its decay products is accompanied by the emitting of -or -particles. The main products of radon decay are short-lived isotopes Po, Pb, Bi, and TL. Belonging to the uranium and thorium decay chain, radon isotopes form directly during the decay of radium isotopes. Therefore the radon concentration depends upon the concentration of its parent's isotope in water and rocks washed by it as well as upon the amount of radon emanation. Loose rocks or rocks with a great number of cracks are characterized by higher radon concentration (zones of tectonic disturbance, weathering crusts, etc.).Crystalline rocks usually have higher uranium concentrations than the average bedrock. Examples of rock types, which often have enhanced uranium concentration >5% ppm U includes the following: granites, syenites, pegmatite, acid volcanic rocks and acid gneisses. In the earth's crust radon migrates either in a gaseous or dissolved state. It can go to the surface without any chemical reaction. Formation of the radon-rich therapeutics waters of Russia has been analyzed, and most of them are genetically connected to crystalline acid rocks that have exceeded uranium-radium mineralization. The radon content in Russia reaches more than 8,000 Bq/l. Radon-rich waters of this type occur in the Altai, Karelia, St Petersburg and Trans-Baikal regions. Another type is connected to geodynamic activity of regions and secondary radioactivity. A well-known example of radon-rich waters of the second type is Pyatigorsk in the North Caucasus. Mixing confined carbon dioxide-hydrogen sulfide water and unconfined groundwater forms radon waters. The radon concentration is 1,170–2,430 Bq/l. The occurrence of radon-rich water deposits in other regions of Russia is described. Further investigation of the radon content in other geological environments will contribute to the environmental safety as well as to the solution to many genetic, hydrogeochronological, paleoreconstructive and prediction problems in hydrogeology.     

Permafrost mapping of Northeast European Russia based on the period of climatic warming 1970-1995

Verdenskrigen som efterhånden i do krigførende land tok alle hjelpemidler og all intelligens i sin tjeneste og innskrenket den frie samferdsel selv for de nøitrale stater, måtte selvfølgelig legge hindringer i veien for forskningsekspedisjoner til Asia. De stoppet velikke helt op. Som vi skal se blev der også under krigen foretatt og begynt undersøkelser av denne art; men først efter krigen utviklet de sig igjen i større stil. Det synes derfor å være naturlig å velge denne verdenskatastrofe som et skille, og jeg vil i det følgende mere utførlig omtale bare de ekspedisjoner og forskninger, som vesentlig er blitt utført efter denne tid.