Heavy clastic minerals from the Far East island-arc complexes

The results of the study of heavy clastic minerals from the Cretaceous-Paleogene terrigenous complexes of Sikhote-Alin and Kamchatka, as well as from the Cenozoic sediments of the deepwater Vanuatu Trench, are summarized. The data obtained have been interpreted on the basis of their comparison with heavy mineral assemblages of recent sediments deposited in known geodynamic settings. It is shown that the heavy clastic minerals of sedimentary rocks, their relative quantities, and chemical compositions may serve as reliable indicators of different island-arc settings and magmatic processes; these indicators may also be used for identification of such settings in paleobasins of orogenic regions.     

New data on palynostratigraphy of the Lipovtsy formation in the Razdol’naya coal Basin (Southern Primorye)

Palynological samples, plant megafossils, and fossil wood taken from the upper Lipovtsy Subformation (Porechye open-pit coal mine in the Il’ichevka coalfield, Razdol’naya River Basin, southern Primorye), as well as coal samples for determining coal-forming plants from dispersed cuticles are analyzed. The taxonomic composition of the identified palynomorphs from the coals and interstratal clastic sediments indicates the Aptian age of host deposits. The palynological spectra from the lower humic–rhabdopissite coal seam are dominated by Gleicheniaceae and Cyatheaceae accompanied by Dicksoniaceae and Ginkgocycadophytus. In the palynological spectra from the upper coal seam, the share of Gleicheniaceae substantially decreases, though they remain dominant; simultaneously, single angiosperm pollen grains appear in them. The spectra from the clastic rocks are dominated by Polypodiaceae and Cyatheaceae. The taxonomical composition of the gymnosperms is relatively diverse, although their abundance is low. The share of angiosperms increases with respect to both their diversity and abundance. The angiosperm pollen, found for the first time in the Aptian deposits of the Razdol’naya River Basin, provides grounds to assume that these pants appeared earlier than previously thought (early Albian). The coal-forming plants of the Il’ichevka coalfield are determined.     

Cretaceous Rocks of the Penzhina Bay: Mineralogy,Petrography, and Geodynamic Sedimentation Conditions

Cretaceous sedimentary and volcanosedimentary rocks from northwestern Kamchatka are considered. The stadial analysis has revealed variable impacts of three major provenances upon the Cretaceous Penzhina sedimentary basin. The provenances were composed of volcanic and volcanosedimentary rocks (Uda–Murgal island arc and Okhotsk–Chukotka volcanic belt) and granitic–metamorphic rocks (the mature Asian continental margin). Sediments were largely accumulated owing to the erosion of island-arc volcanics during reactivation of the Uda–Murgal island arc (Hauterivian–Barremian) or the Okhotsk–Chukotka volcanic belt (middle Albian–Cenomanian). Eroded granitic–metamorphic rocks of the mature Asian continental margin (Berriasian–Valanginian) or Asian metamorphic–volcanic rocks (Santonian–Campanian) were supplied to the basin during tectonically quiet periods (Berriasian–Valanginian and late Cenomanian–Campanian). Compositional changes in provenances were related to active tectonic processes at the continental margin, including evolution and closure of the Uda–Murgal island-arc system and origin of the Okhotsk–Chukotka volcanic belt. The postsedimentary modification of Cretaceous rocks deposited in forearc trough beyond the tectonically active accretionary prism is characterized by a low degree of clastic component alteration.     

Changes of taxonomical composition of Late Jurassic Early Cretaceous palynofloras of Bureya Basin,Russia

The changes of taxonomical composition of the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous palynofloras are revealed,in the upper stream of Bureya River in Bureya Basin.The palynofloras are dominated as follows:the Berriasian one by ferns (Cyatheaceae,Dicksoniaceae,Osmundaceae), Classopollis and bisaccate pollen;the Valanginian-Hauterivian one by ferns (Cyatheaceae,Dicksoniaceae), Ginkgocycadophytus and bisaccate pollen;the Barremian one by ferns(Cyatheaceae,Dieksoniaceae);the Aptian one by ferns(Cyatheaceae,Dieksoniaceae,Gleicheniaceae)and Ginkgocycadophytus;and the Albian one by ferns(Schizaeaceae)and bisaccate pollen.In the Albian the floral diversity raises with the angiosperms appearing.     

Changes of taxonomical composition of Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous palynofloras of Bureya Basin,Russia

The changes of taxonomical composition of the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous palynofloras are revealed,in the upper stream of Bureya River in Bureya Basin.The palynofloras are dominated as follows:the Berriasian one by ferns(Cyatheaceae,Dicksoniaceae,Osmundaceae),Classopollis and bisaccate pollen;the Valanginian-Hauterivian one by ferns(Cyatheaceae,Dicksoniaceae),Ginkgocycadophytus and bisaccate pollen;the Barremian one by ferns(Cyatheaceae,Dicksoniaceae);the Aptian one by ferns(Cyatheaceae,Dicksoniaceae,Gleicheniaceae) and Ginkgocycadophytus;and the Albian one by ferns(Schizaeaceae) and bisaccate pollen.In the Albian the floral diversity raises with the angiosperms appearing.     

Possible conditions and the formation time of the Chukchi Plateau pockmarks

The study of the bottom sediments accumulated during the last 60–65 ka in the pockmark craters of the Chukchi Plateau in the Arctic Ocean showed that their composition and lithostratigraphy in general are similar to those of the background areas. A specific feature is the presence of sedimentary interlayers and horizons with signs of gravitational stirring, carbonate mineralization, and accumulation under H₂S contamination conditions. The micropaleontological remains found in the pockmark sediments accumulated during the glacial periods are represented by redeposited species from Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic deposits, which are locally exposed in the pockmark walls. It was concluded that the pockmarks were formed under the influence of pulsed fluid flows. The present-day topography of the pockmarks was formed at the last stage of active defluidization (35?20 ka ago).     

In Search of the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary in Heilongjiang River Area of China

Abstract A new geological section recognized in Baishantou of Jiayin, Heilongjiang Province, China, was studied preliminarily in searching for the K/T boundary. An early Paleocene florule characrerized by abundant Tiliaephyllum tsagajanicum leaves and its associated plants, was collected from the Baishantou Member (new member representing the lower part of the Paleocene Wuyun Formation) overlying the possible K/T boundary. A tuff bed was found from the upper part of the Furao Formation (uppermost Cretaceous) in this section. The new findings imply that the K/T boundary is probable lying in the interval between the base of the Baishantou Member and the tuff bed, based on the correlation of the present strata with the stratotype of the Tsagajan Group spanning the K/T boundary in "Belaya Gara" of the Bureya Basin, Russia. The early Paleocene florule from the Baishantou Member and the early-middle Maastrichtian dinosaurs found from the Yuliangzi Formation underlying the Furao Formation suggest that the Baishantou section is more promising for searching for the K/T boundary in this area. Further studies of the section is needed, integrating paleontological, biostratigraphic, geochemical, paleomagnetic, and sedimentary research would benefit our understanding the mass extinction event and biotic recovery in the Heilongjiang River area, China, and even all of northeast Asia during the K/T boundary interval.     

Palynological characteristics of the sediments of the Malokuril’skaya formation (Maastrichtian-Danian), Shikotan Island

A spore-pollen assemblage was established for the first time in the sediments of the Malokuril??skaya Formation (Khromova Bay, Shikotan Island, Lesser Kuril Range, Kuril island arc system). This find enabled dating of the sediments of the uppermost part of the Malokuril??skaya Formation, which, based on this data, are referred to the Maastrichtian-Danian boundary. The assemblage of radiolarian species was identified for the entire section of the Malokuril??skaya Formation. In sediments of the lower part of the section, members of the Inoceramus group were described. These findings add new information to the paleontological characteristics of the Malokuril??skaya Formation. Moreover, our work allowed detailed correlation of the palynological assemblage studied with coeval palynological assemblages of adjacent areas. The similarity of Cretaceous-Paleogene sections of the Ust-Palanskaya (West Kamchatka), Uchir (Sakhalin Island) and Malokuril??skaya Formations, the Upper Cretaceous basement and the Cenozoic cover of the underwater Vityaz Ridge support the shared history of the development of the entire transition zone from the marginal Sea of Okhotsk to the Pacific at the Maastrichtian-Danian boundary.