Laboratory of Lithology and Facial Analysis

Head of the laboratory - professor O.V.Yapaskurt

      The main direction of research activity - "Processes, conditions of sedimentogenesis and lithogenesis and their evolution in pre-Cenozoic sedimentary basins of Central and East Eurasia".
      The work of the laboratory is directed to reconstruction of processes and conditions of sedimentogenesis and lithogenesis (diagenesis, catagenesis, metagenesis), on the analysis of their interaction and evolution in ancient - pre-Quaternary - sedimentary basins. The investigated objects are arranged basically to mobile belts and platforms of Eurasia: Verkhoyan, West-Siberian plate, Crimea, Caucasus, Ural, and also Pacific margin. The general accent is directed on problems of interrelations of sedimentogenesis and lithogenesis, and also lithogenesis and initial metamorphism with reference to various tectonic regimes of sedimentary basin evolution.
      The knowledge of lithogenetic processes is achieved by revealing stages of origin, change or disappearance in rock specific mineral and textural-structural paragenetic associations, correlated with geohistorical events (lithogenetic analysis). This technique is combined with analysis of lithofacies and sedimentary geoformations (in this case term "geoformation", after P.P.Timofeev, is understood as paragenesis of genetic types and facies in concrete paleotectonic structure reflecting geologic history of the structure). In particular, using this set of methods for Verkhoyan fold system new data were found out, that in the Late Paleozoic thick clinoforms were generated on passive continental margin. The intensity of postsedimentary transformation of these rocks is caused not so much by depths of their subsidence, but in general by processes of thermal activization of the lithosphere during tectonic stress changes between stretching and compression (on the Permian-Triassic boundary, in the Early and Late Cretaceous). The criteria for diagnostics of boundaries between separate lithogenetic stages and initial metamorphism are proposed.
       The works of this direction are supported by the grants from Russian Fund of Fundamental Researches and State Committee on Higher Education of Russian Federation.

Laboratory of Marine Geology

Head of the laboratory - professor P.N.Kuprin

      The basic direction of research activity - "Marine sedimentation and lithogenesis of Cenozoic deposits in intracontinental and continental margin basins".
      The laboratory was organized as structural division of Faculty of Geology by the order of the Minister of Education of RSFSR in March, 1967. Collective of the laboratory was appointed to organize and carry out research works in the seas and oceans and to prepare specialists in marine geology, with what it successfully copes till now.
      According to new structure of Faculty of Geology in 1976 the laboratory was included in structure of the Department of Dynamic Geology, and in 1983 was one of two laboratories including in structure of new Department of Lithology and Marine Geology. The staff of the laboratory in that time included 16 regular and 17 contract employees.
      The subjects of scientific researches of the laboratory is focused on the decision of a number of problems on revealing a geological structure of separate regions of continental margin (shelf, continental slope, continental foot), positioned in various geographic and tectonic areas, and also deep parts of continental and marginal seas, perspective on detection of hydrocarbons and ores. The comparative analysis of sedimentation in different types of geographic-tectonic areas is carriing out. A major direction of researches is the participation in the international projects on creation of series of geological-geophysical and paleogeographic maps for Mediterranean, Black, Azov and other seas.
      The employees of the laboratory have organized and carried out more than 60 marine geological-geophysical expeditions, including 12 expeditions in the international waters. Collectives of these expeditions included specialists, post-graduate students and students of the MSU Faculty of Geology, many from them subsequently became the famous experts in marine geology. Materials of the expeditions were put into base of 9 candidate and 3 doctor's dissertations of the employees of the laboratory and besides six researchers from other organizations were given necessary data for preparation their candidate dissertations. More than 45 degree and course student's works were prepared on materials of the expeditions.
      With creation of the Department of Lithology and Marine Geology a number of training courses on marine geology were included in the educational plan of specialization "Lithology". In 1988 Scientific Council of the Faculty of Geology has accepted the decision on organization of specialization "Marine Geology". Annually 3 - 5 students are trained on this geological direction. The educational plan of this specialization stipulates study 19 special disciplines including such original courses as "Regional Geology of Oceans and Seas", "Petrology of the Second Layer of the Oceanic Crust", "Mineral Resources of World Ocean", "Marine Sedimentation" etc., more than half from which is read by the employees of the laboratory.

Branch of the department in Geological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences

Founded in 1992.

Head of the branch - Dr. of Sci. Yu.O.Gavrilov

      The basic task of the branch - training of the students to laboratory methods of research. The laboratory analyses of samples are carried out, which results are used by students in their scientific projects.