RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF EARTH SCIENCES VOL. 10, ES4002, doi:10.2205/2007ES000224, 2008

Introduction

[2]  The present stage of earth science progress is characterized by particular attention drawn to research in the deep structure of the planet owing to challenges of theoretical geodynamics, reliable prognosis of useful minerals hidden in the depth, seismic hazard, natural disaster prediction and mitigation of damage specifically the damage caused by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and environmental problems. Therefore one of the most important lines in the earth science is studying deep causes of geological phenomena in order to assess, predict and mitigate the danger of natural disasters especially of those caused by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

[3]  Many national and international programs were devoted to the studies of the deep structure of the earth's interior; among them are the Upper Mantle Project, Geodynamic Project, the program "Lithosphere'', Geotraverse Project and others that were successfully implemented [Belousov, 1986; Kozlovskiy et al., 1987; Rodnikov, 1986]. Now more than 20 countries are participating in the international project "InterMARGINS''. Being interdisciplinary, this program is aimed at solving problems that cannot be solved but with international cooperation. They involve the studies of the deep structure of continental margins, rift genesis, sedimentation processes going on in continental slopes, research in seismogenic and subduction phenomena resulting in earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, geochemistry of rocks composing the crust, the studies of the role of fluids in useful mineral formation and many other problems.

[4]  The Geophysical Center RAS conducts research on the project "Geodynamic models of the deep structure of active continental margins'' in the frame of the international program "InterMARGINS''. The task of the project is constructing geodynamic models of active continental margins to study the deep structure of the earth's interior beneath seismically dangerous zones, volcanic structures, inorganic areas and sedimentary basins; revealing the role of deep processes going on in the mantle and specifically in the asthenosphere in the formation of major tectonic elements of continental margins and useful mineral formation.

[5]  Geodynamic models of the deep structure of active continental margins are constructed as a result of combined interpretation of the total available geological and geophysical information on the basis of GIS technology. Geodynamic model construction was based on work carried out by the Geophysical Center RAS on the Geotraverse Project jointly with Japanese and Chinese scientists, on the data of the World Data Center for Solid Earth Physics and the results of new researches.

2007ES000224-fig01
Figure 1
[6]  The research in the deep structure of active continental margins of the Far East was conducted along a geotraverse compiled on the basis of combined interpretation of geological and geophysical data. The cross-section runs across the Mesozoic structures of Sikhote Alin, rift structure of Tatar Strait, Cenozoic formations of Sakhalin, Kuril Basin of the Sea of Okhotsk, volcanic structures of Kuril Island Arc, Kuril deep trench and the Mesozoic plate of Northwestern Basin of the Pacific (Figure 1). The length of the profile is 2000 km. The depth of penetration into the earth's interior is 100 km.


RJES

Citation: Rodnikov, A. G., N. A. Sergeyeva, L. P. Zabarinskaya, N. I. Filatova, V. B. Piip, and V. A.  Rashidov (2008), The deep structure of active continental margins of the Far East (Russia), Russ. J. Earth Sci., 10, ES4002, doi:10.2205/2007ES000224.

Copyright 2008 by the Russian Journal of Earth Sciences

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