Abstract
The phenomenon of natural degassing of mercury in the Baikal Rift Zone is considered on the basis of study of the annual rings of poplar (Populus suaveolens Fisch.) and pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees. Tree core samples were collected in the Tunka Depression in July 2018 using a drill. The boundaries of the annual rings were highlighted on a LINTAB instrument with TSAP-Win and Lignovision software. Analysis of Hg was performed on a RA-915M mercury analyzer by pyrolysis. The dynamics of changes in the concentration of Hg in the annual rings of poplar and pine trees in the Tunka Depression from 1940 to 2018 was studied. The average Hg content in all wood cores examined was 7 ppb with a maximum of 1089 ppb. The high Hg contents are confined to faults of both sublatitudinal and northwestern striking. The maximum concentration of Hg was detected in pine and poplar cores at the intersection of large tectonic faults. A relationship between the peaks of high Hg concentrations of in wood and periods of strong earthquakes with a magnitude of >4.0 was revealed. The data obtained may be paleoindicators of deformations of the Earth’s crust, recording both individual processes of short-term relaxation of tectonic stresses and the earthquakes themselves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
O. V. Lunina, A. S. Gladkov, and N. N. Nevedrova, Rift Troughs of Baikal Region: Tectonic Structure and History of Development (Geo, Novosibirsk, 2009) [in Russian].
M. I. Kuzmin and V. V. Yarmolyuk, Russ. Geol. Geophys., No. 1, 8–21 (2016). https://doi.org/10.15372/GiG20160102
Yu. A. Zorin and E. Kh. Turutanov, Russ. Geol. Geophys. 46 (7), 669–682 (2005).
P. V. Koval’, Yu. N. Udodov, V. A. San’kov, A. A. Yasenovskii, and L. D. Andrulaitis, Dokl. Earth Sci. A 409 (6), 916–919 (2006).
N. V. Vilor, L. D. Adrulaitis, O. V. Zarubina, and B. S. Danilov, Geochem. Int. 53 (1), 60–78 (2015).
Yu. V. Alekhin, N. V. Koval’skaya, S. A. Lapitskii, Z. I. Minubaeva, and P. Pagliarulo, Vestn. Otd. Nauk Zemle Russ. Akad. Nauk. Elektron. Nauch.-Inform. Zh., No. 1 (21) (2003). http://www.scgis.ru/russian/cp1251/h_dgggms/1-2003/informbul-1/hydroterm-15.pdf. Cited Nov. 1, 2019.
Yu. P. Troshin, I. S. Lomonosov, and N. N. Bryukhanova, Russ. Geol. Geophys. 49 (3), 169–175 (2008).
B. R. Soktoev, L. P. Rikhvanov, S. S. Ilenok, N. V. Baranovskaya, and T. T. Taisaev, Geol. Ore Deposits 57 (4), 331 (2015).
S. I. Golenetskii, Geol. Geofiz. 39 (2), 260–270 (1998).
N. A. Ozerova, Byull. Mosk. O-va Ispyt. Prir. 80 (5), 63 (2005).
S. P. Clackett, T. J. Porter, and I. Lehnherr, Environ. Sci. Technol. 52 (17), 9625–9633 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.8b01824
B. N. Fomin, I. Ya. Nikolishin, and G. N. Voronskaya, Probl. Ekol. Monit. Model. Ekosist., No. 14, 103–118 (1992).
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors are grateful to N.A. Osipova, head of the Laboratory of Microelement Analysis of the International Innovative Scientific and Educational Center “Uranium Geology,” National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University, for metrological support of the analytical work.
Funding
This study was supported by the state budget of the Institute of Monitoring of Climatic and Ecological Systems, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, and by the program for increasing the competitiveness of the National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Additional information
Translated by A. Bobrov
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rikhvanov, L.P., Lyapina, E.E., Yusupov, D.V. et al. Mercury Emanations from the Baikal Rift: Evidence from the Study of Annual Tree Rings (an Example of the Tunka Depression). Dokl. Earth Sc. 496, 32–36 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1028334X21010190
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1028334X21010190