Characteristic Types of Landslides in The Durmitor Flysch Complex Area

The monograph is based on the textbook by T. K. Zlobin (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Sakhalin State University, 2014), which was refined and supplemented significantly. The book presents modern concepts of geodynamical processes in the Earth’s core and its shells (mantle and crust, hydrosphere and atmosphere), up to the space phenomena, which are relevant to a variety of natural disasters: earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, avalanches, mudslides, tsunamis, storm surges. Tropical cyclones (typhoons, hurricanes, tornadoes), and falls of celestial objects have been characterized as well. Alongside the description of modern geodynamic processes, information is provided on the history of stars, the Sun and planets, the problem of the emergence of the Earth’s magnetic field, the inversion of magnetic poles, etc. The energy of geodynamic processes and natural disasters, their hierarchy and properties: fractality and quasi-periodicity, possible regime changes (bifurcations) have been considered. The monograph is assigned to geologists, geophysicists, specialists in adjacent fields of science, as well as for students and postgraduates studying modern geodynamic processes and related natural disasters.

In the South of Kamchatka, modern geodynamic processes are actively taking place. A deep geological and geophysical model of the structure of the Earth’s crust and upper mantle along the regional profile of the Apacha Village-Mutnaya Bay in the zone of Tolmachevsky active magmatic center is presented. The profile passes near the South-Western border of the Karymshinskaya volcano-tectonic structure (VTS) and crosses the Ahomtenskaya VTS. The model created on the basis of integrated interpretation of materials of the earthquake converted-wave method (ECWM), gravity and magnetotelluric sounding (MTS). The thickness of the Earth’s crust along the profile varies from 30-33 km at the edges reaching 44-46 km, in its central part. The dominant feature of the model is a high-density formation – a block of the Earth’s crust, saturated with intrusions of the main and ultrabasic composition. The formation of the block is associated with a permeable zone between the crust and the upper mantle. In the block correlation of seismic boundaries is disturbed and in a density model the area with massive heterogeneity is allocated. A significant increase in depth to the M-Boundary in the center of the model is explained by the presence of a “bloated” transition layer between bark and mantle in this place. The thickness of the layer is about 10 km, and the density of the mantle reaches 3.4 g/cm3. It is assumed that this is a site of eklogization of breeds in a zone of paleosubduction of oceanic lithosphere under a continental. The area is favorable for the accumulation of meteor waters, which are in contact with high-temperature environment and postmagmatic solutions of intrusions, which leads to the formation of hydrothermal systems. The genetic connection of Karymshinsky gold-ore cluster with the intrusive array of medium-sour composition, allocated in the zone of the Tolmachevsky active Magmatic Center is shown.

This work presents the results of tectonophysical modeling of tectonic deformations in the crystalline basement of the Scythian Plate, including estimated deformation values and stress-field orientations. The morphostructural parameters of the Earth's surface, which were calculated using the LESSA program, were compared. In addition, some parameters of modern geodynamic processes that occur in the Scythian Plate, such as the level of seismicity and heat flow value, were calculated. The similarity between ancient and modern geodynamic processes allows us to propose that deformational processes in the crystalline basement of the Scythian Plate play a significant role in the formation of the modern topography and makes it possible to use morphostructural parameters of the relief for studying the deep structure of platform covers.

This map and the accompanying dataset (asbestos_sites.xls) provide information for 26 natural asbestos occurrences in the Central United States (U.S.) using descriptions found in the geologic literature. Data on location, mineralogy, geology, and relevant literature for each asbestos site are provided in the aforementioned digital file. Using the map and digital data in this report, the user can examine the distribution of previously reported asbestos occurrences and their geological characteristics in the Central U.S. This report is part of an ongoing study by the U.S. Geological Survey to identify and map reported natural asbestos occurrences in the U.S., which began with U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2005-1189 (Van Gosen, 2005). These reports are intended to provide State and local government agencies and other stakeholders with geologic information on natural occurrences of asbestos. The file asbestos_sites.xls was compiled through a systematic State-by-State search of the geologic literature. Although this asbestos dataset represents a thorough study of the published literature, it can not be construed as a complete list. An asbestos site was included only when the literature source specifically mentioned asbestos and (or) described the commonly recognized asbestos minerals as occurring in the asbestiform crystal morphology. No attempt was made to interpret the presence of asbestos from the context of the geology-mineralogy description if asbestos was not explicitly described. The user should refer to the references cited with each asbestos site entry for descriptions of these occurrences. These asbestos occurrences were reported to exist in outcrop exposures or rock exposed by mining operations. Note that these site descriptions apply to the time of each report's publication. No field verification of the sites was performed, nor were evaluations of potential exposure made at these sites. Many of the sites are likely to have been subsequently modified by human activities since their description, sometimes substantially. For example, since the time that the source literature was published there may have been remediation of the site or it may have been either exposed or covered by more recent development.

The Altaids of Central Asia: A tectonic and evolutionary innovative review

The anomalous magnetic field and its dynamics used to study the deep structure and modern geodynamic processes of the urals

A new concept is proposed concerning the origin and inception of ‘initial’ faults and formation of large blocks as a result of cooling of the Archaean lithosphere, during which Benard cells had formed (Fig. 5). At locations where cooling convection currents went down, partial crystallization took place, stresses were localized, and initial fault occurred there. The systems of such fault developed mainly in two directions and gradually formed an initial block pattern of the lithosphere. This pattern is now represented by the largest Archaean faults acting as boundaries of the lithospheric plates and large intraplate blocks (Fig. 6). This group of faults represents the first scaletime level of destruction of the lithosphere. Large blocks of the first (and may be the second) order, which are located on the viscous foundation, interacted with each other under the influence of the sublithospheric movements or endogenous sources and thus facilitated the occurrence of high stresses inside the blocks. When the limits of strength characteristics of the block medium were exceeded, the intrablock stresses were released and caused formation of fractures/faults and blocks of various ranks (Fig. 14). This large group, including faultblock structures of various ranks and ages, comprises the second level of the scaletime destruction of the lithosphere. The intense evolution of ensembles of faults and blocks of the second scaletime level is facilitated by shortterm activation of faultblock structures of the lithosphere under the influence of strain waves. Periods of intensive shortterm activation are reliably detected by seismic monitoring over the past fifty years. Investigations of periodical processes specified in the geological records over the post-Proterozoic periods [Khain, Khalilov, 2009] suggest that in so far uninvestigated historical and more ancient times, the top of the lithosphere was subject to wave processes that influenced the metastable state of the faultblock medium of the lithosphere. At the second scale-time level, the lithosphere is destructed in accordance with the laws of destruction of elastic and brittle bodies; at all hierarchical levels, the lithospheric destruction complies with the similarity patterns; the lithospheric destruction processes are characterized by fractality and take place synchronously with other destruction processes. Equations of the fault (7) and block divisibility (8) of the lithosphere and the generalized equation (9) of the faultblock divisibility of lithosphere are proposed. By the present stage of the geodynamic evolution of the Earth, the horizontally-layered zonal pattern of destruction of the Earth has been established (Fig. 15). The next step would be obtaining the knowledge of the law that governs the evolution of the lithospheric destruction as a whole. The subjects for discussions hold be variations of the rheological properties of the vertical profile of the lithosphere, impacts of the time factor on the rheological and mechanical properties, and, lastly, the initial heterogeneity of the lithospheric medium in combination with modern geodynamic processes. This problem is solvable, and its importance for practical applications is undubitable.

One of the most important areas of geological and geophysical research in Antarctica is the study of the deep structure of the region. Of particular interest are studies of modern geodynamics of the Earth’s crust, since large deposits of oil and gas and other types of minerals are often located near tectonically active faults. The thesis estimates the dynamics of the geomagnetic field for the time interval 2008—2023 and presents the results of calculating the magnetizing effect and the values of the δВа component, which may be caused by modern geodynamic processes.

<p>The rim of the Sarajevo depression was exposed to a strong construction expansion, which was not followed by spatial planning documentation. This work presents models of modern geodynamic processes, which are mainly caused by technogenic effects. The characteristics of these processes mainly depend on the morphological properties of the terrain, geological structure, engineering geological and hydrogeological properties, as well as technogenic factors. The aim of this work is to clarify the specificities of modern geodynamic processes in the areas of different lithological formations, and also to show their classification and special treatment considering process’s dynamic, the development method of the moving rock mass, causes of its movement; all with the goal of preventing or reclaiming the negative effects of these processes. The key factors that affect modern geodynamic processes are: terrain morphology, lithological structure, groundwater level, rock mass structure, as well as the technogenic processes.</p>

Recent studies of the stress state of the Earth’s crust and rates of plate movement of the Caucasian fold system with respect to the Eurasian continent, analysis of sources of underwater degassing and volcanism, as well as seismological modeling, suggest that combination of these processes has a positive effect on replenishment of hydrocarbon resources in the Black Sea–Caspian Sea region: they activate the fluid–dynamic systems of the region. The replenishment of hydrocarbon resources is associated with restoration of the energy state of hydrocarbon deposits at various stages of their development and physicochemical fluid–dynamic factors. The broad generalization, seismological modeling of mud volcanoes, and analysis of different-scale factual material allow us to argue that current sources of hydrocarbon generation–natural laboratories and technological lines for converting fluid accumulations into industrial energy and chemical raw materials for industrial application are functioning in the depths of the Black Sea–Caspian Sea region. We consider hydrocarbon deposits as a product of the functioning of such natural, technological lines.

Seismic monitoring of the earth's crust

The geology of the neighbourhood of Birmingham is one of more than ordinary interest, owing to the great variety of geological formations exposed within its area. Its rocky structure was investigated about thirty years since by the officers of the Geological Survey of Great Britain, and its several geological formations laid down upon their maps, and described in detail in their various explanatory memoirs. Some of these publications—notably the maps and descriptions of the South Staffordshire Coalfield—have subsequently become classic in the literature of Geology. Since these publications were issued, however, the science of Geology has made great advances, more accurate and detailed methods of research among the older rocks have been developed, and their application to the study of the strata of the Birmingham district has recently resulted in the detection of several most interesting facts which escaped the notice of the earlier investigators.

P.A. Sims, D.G. Mann and L.K. Medlin. 2006. Evolution of the diatoms: insights from fossil, biological and molecular data.Phycologia 45: 361–402. DOI: 10.2216/05-22.1Molecular sequence analyses have yielded many important insights into diatom evolution, but there have been few attempts to relate these to the extensive fossil record of diatoms, probably because of unfamiliarity with the data available, which are scattered widely through the geological literature. We review the main features of molecular phylogenies and concentrate on the correspondence between these and the fossil record; we also review the evolution of major morphological, cytological and life cycle characteristics, and possible diatom origins. The first physical remains of diatoms are from the Jurassic, and well-preserved, diverse floras are available from the Lower Cretaceous. Though these are unequivocally identifiable as centric diatoms, none except a possible Stephanopyxis can be unequivocally linked to lineages of extant diatoms, although it is almost certain that members of the Coscinodiscophyceae (radial centrics) and Mediophyceae (polar centrics) were present; some display curious morphological features that hint at an unorthodox cell division mechanism and life cycle. It seems most likely that the earliest diatoms were marine, but recently discovered fossil deposits hint that episodes of terrestrial colonization may have occurred in the Mesozoic, though the main invasion of freshwaters appears to have been delayed until the Cenozoic. By the Upper Cretaceous, many lineages are present that can be convincingly related to extant diatom taxa. Pennate diatoms appear in the late Cretaceous and raphid diatoms in the Palaeocene, though molecular phylogenies imply that raphid diatoms did in fact evolve considerably earlier. Recent evidence shows that diatoms are substantially underclassified at the species level, with many semicryptic or cryptic species to be recognized; however, there is little prospect of being able to discriminate between such taxa in fossil material.

<p>During the Meso-Cretaceous compressive tectonic event (marked by the subduction of the East European Platform under Gondwana, and the initiation of the creation of accretionary prism in front of the orogen) the absence of related magmatism, and implicitly, the lack of an "arc" is similar to that of the Alps (McCarthy et al., 2018). Afterward, in the Upper Cretaceous, the Carpathian area has evolved in an extensional geodynamic context, specific to post-collisional periods, marked by the appearance of sedimentary basins with complex evolution and Gosau type molasses (Schuller, 2004; Schuller et al., 2009). In connection to the above, or not, it has evolved a complex magmatism, from a compositional point of view and as manifestation, largely calc-alkaline, known in the geological literature as banatitic (von Cotta, 1864). Banatitic magmatism is the first such manifestation in the Carpathians, post-subduction and post-collision and the most reliable age data (using U-Pb on zircon and Re-Os on molybdenite methods) suggest a very narrow range of evolution (70.2 - 83.98 Ma, Nicolescu et al., 1999; Galhofer, 2015; 72.36 - 80.63 Ma, Ciobanu et al., 2002; Zimmerman et al., 2008), that is characteristic to short-lived magmatism. Comparatively, in Serbia (Bor-Madjanpek district), the same magmatism occurs between 86-84 Ma, in Bulgaria in the Srednogorie massif between 92-86 Ma and Rhodope massif at 67-70 Ma (von Quadt et al., 2007). The geodynamic models discussed for this type of magmatism suggest, almost all without exception, the existence of subductions that would have extended as activity from the Middle Cretaceous to the Paleogene. Or, the realities of the terrain show that this magmatism seals the mesocretacic compressive structures (napes), as Nicolescu et al. (1999) exposed for the first time in Banat region. The situation is similar in the Apuseni Mountains. From the presumption of the generation of subductions for this magmatism, the idea of an "L" form magmatic belt ("arc"), from the Apuseni Mountains to Bulgaria, was forced. If we look closely at the spatial distribution of intrusive and effusive bodies, aspect also revealed by gravimetry studies (Andrei et al. 1989), we observe that they occupy areas with specific geometries, linked to or close to the Gosau-type basins, but strictly controlled by strike-slip fractures, similar to those that have controlled the appearance of Gosau basins (Drew, 2006). The metallogenesis associated with this magmatism is represented by metalliferous accumulations of Fe, Cu, Pb, Zn, with Au, Ag and W, Mo, B, Mg, Te, Bi, Sb, with a great typological variety, spatially controlled by the same type of fractures. It is evident that the transpressive-transtensive regime worked throughout the entire range of magmatic and metallogenetic activity, controlling it. In Banat region, as well as in the Apuseni Mountains, the end of the magmatic activity ceases with mineralizing and/or bearing mineralization lamprophyres. Being so, probably the lamprophyres attend or announce the metallogenetic event.</p><p><strong>Acknowledgments<br></strong>This work was supported by two grants of the Romanian Ministry of Research and Innovation, project number PN-III-P4-ID-PCCF-2016-4-0014, and project number PN-III-P1-1.2-PCCDI-2017-0346/29, both within PNCDI III</p>

ABSTRACTThe Upper Cretaceous chalks of southern England are a thick sequence of rhythmically bedded, bioturbated coccolith micrites, deposited in an outer shelf environment in water depths which varied between 50 and 200–300 m.The products of sea floor cementation are widely represented in the sequence, and a series of stages of progressive lithification can be recognized. These began with a pause in sedimentation and the formation of an omission surface, followed by (a) growth of discrete nodules below the sediment‐water interface to form a nodular chalk, erosion of which produced intraformational conglomerates. (b) Further growth and fusion of nodules into continuous or semicontinuous layers: incipient hardgrounds. (c) Scour, which exposed the layer as a true hardground. At this stage, the exposed lithified chalk bottom was subject to boring and encrustation by a variety of organisms, whilst calcium carbonate was frequently replaced by glauconite and phosphate to produce superficial mineralized zones. In many cases, the processes of sedimentation, cementation, exposure and mineralization were repeated several times, producing composite hardgrounds built up of a series of layers of cemented and mineralized chalk, indicating a long and complex diagenetic history.Petrographic study of early cemented chalks indicates lithification was the result of the precipitation of small crystals on and between coccoliths and coccolith fragments. By analogy with known occurrences of early lithification in Recent deeper water carbonates, the cement is believed to have been either high magnesian calcite or aragonite, and more probably the former. The vast scale of operations involved in the cementation process precludes carbonate in expelled pore fluids as the source of cement, whilst quantities of aragonite incorporated in sediment are also inadequate. This, plus the observed association of horizons of early lithification with pauses in sedimentation associated with omission surfaces suggests seawater as a source of cementing materials.Stratigraphic studies indicate that processes of early lithification leading to hardground formation proceeded to completion in intervals to be measured in tens or hundreds of years. Regional studies suggest that early lithification characterized relatively shallow water phases associated with regional regression over the whole of the area, whilst in detail, the distribution of mature mineralized hardground complexes is strongly correlated with sedimentary thinning and condensation over small areas and the buried flanks of massifs. Early cementation in more basinal areas is typically in the form of nodular developments and incipient hardgrounds, whilst day contents in excess of a few percent appear to have inhibited early lithification.The striking rhythmicity of hardgrounds and nodular chalks is no more than a particular expression of the overall rhythmicity of chalk sequences. The stage of early lithification reached in any instance is dependent on sediment type, the time interval represented by the associated omission surface and the degree of associated scour and erosion (if any).Chalk hardgrounds differ from most others described in the geological literature in their widespread distribution (individual hardgrounds may cover up to 1500 km2), the presence of striking glauconite and phosphate replacements of lithified carbonate matrices, their frequently sparse epifaunas, and boring infaunas dominated by clionid sponges. These differences reflect the deeper water shelf setting of the chalk, and the more open marine, oceanic circulatory system, both strikingly different from the setting of other, shallower water hardgrounds.Litho‐ and biostratigraphic variation in the chalk sequences of the area studied are summarized in an appendix.