N. M. Chumakov

Vendian reference section of southern Middle Siberia

Geological, chemo-, and biostratigraphic data indicate that the Vendian section of the Ura uplift is the most complete one in southern Middle Siberia and contains analogs of main units of the Vendian stratotype. This section is well known having been investigated by several generations of geologists, well exposed, and easily accessible; therefore, it is proposed to serve as a regional reference section for Vendian deposits of the entire southern Middle Siberia. Its description is accompanied by presentation of new biostratigraphic and radioisotopic data. The section is correlated with other Vendian sections of the Baikal-Patom and some other world regions.

Isotope age of boundaries between the general stratigraphic subdivisions of the Upper Proterozoic (Riphean and Vendian) in Russia: The evolution of opinions and the current estimate

The evolution of opinions about the isotope age of the general stratigraphic subdivisions of the Upper Proterozoic in Russia (Lower, Middle, Upper Riphean and Vendian) during the second half of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century is considered, and the current data on the age of these subdivisions are analyzed in detail. It is shown that the isotope age of the lower boundaries of the Lower, Middle, and Upper Riphean and Vendian should be estimated at 1750 ± 50, 1400, 1030, and 640 ± 5 Ma, respectively. The role of the historical–geological criteria in the substantiation of these boundaries is studied.

Early Vendian stage of folding in the Patom folded zone: Syn-folded clastic dikes in the Dalnetaiginsky Group, Central Siberia

This work describes clastic dikes which intruded along cleavage planes into Lower Vendian clay shales of the Barakun Formation (the eastern part of the Patom folded zone). Dikes are composed of sandstones, which are common in other parts of the Barakun Formation, or more often by thin intercalations of finely oolitic limestones in surrounding shales. It is evident that dikes were formed as a result of elision processes synchronous to the folding, the major system of cleavage planes, and dehydration of clayey rocks of the Dalnetaiginsky Group at the end of Early Vendian. This stage of folding can be considered as one of the first phases of the Baikal folding by N.S. Shatsky.

Did an ice sheet exist in Northeast Asia at the Middle-Late Jurassic boundary? (Critical remarks on the article by Y. Donnadieu et al. (2011) “A mechanism for brief glacial episodes in the Mesozoic greenhouse”)

Results of climate modeling of Northeast Russia for the Middle-Late Jurassic boundary (Donnadieu et al., 2011) are critically reviewed. Geological and paleontological data are presented that indicate that the giant ice sheet which, according to the model, covered the entire territory in question at the Middle-Late Jurassic boundary did not exist.

Microfossils from cap dolomites of the Lower Vendian Churochnaya Formation in the Polyudov Range (North Urals): Paleoecological approach to interpretation of Late Proterozoic glaciations

Microfossils from silicified varieties of cap dolomites crowning the section of the tillite-bearing Lower Vendian (Ediacaran) Churochnaya Formation in the Polyudov Range (North Urals) are characterized. These microfossils are the first to be found from Vendian sections of the region and from all the terminal post-glacial sediments, one of the most significant global glaciation Marinoan of the African Glacial Era, when glaciers reached the equator. They are represented by remains of hormogonian and chrococcacean cyanobacteria as well as possible green filamentous algae. This microbiotic assemblage is of relatively low diversity, being composed of taxa with wide stratigraphic ranges characteristic of Proterozoic conservative microbiotas developed in shallow-water siliceous-carbonate facies. The lack of phytoplanktonic microfossils in this biota including Pertatataka-type acanthomorphic acritarchs or Ediacaran Complex Acanthomorph Palynoflora (ECAP) is also consistent with the conclusion on shallow-water deposition of the Churochnaya Formation. Moreover, most cyanobacteria representatives occurring in the latter are characteristic of shallow-water arid environments that confirm a theory of significant temperature increase during accumulation of the cap dolomites after termination of the above-mentioned glaciation. In addition to these microfossils, the cap dolomite member of the Churochnaya Formation contains filamentous and coccoidal pseudofossils formed under influence of post-sedimentary fluids. In their morphometric parameters, they resemble structures described from Archean sections as microfossil remains, which may be a key to interpreting their nature.

The stratotype and facies of the glacial Lower Vendian Nichatka Formation, Chara River basin, Central Siberia

Sediments of the Nichatka Formation are facially studied and thoroughly described, the sections are correlated, and the subformations are recognized. The formation represents a key stratigraphic unit to reveal the origin of the Central Siberian glacial horizon and to correlate it with glacial horizons in other regions of the world, namely, with the Laplandian Horizon of the Lower Vendian, Nantou and Marino tillites, etc. The Nichatka Formation is correlated with the glacial Bolshoi Patom (Dzhemkukan) Formation of the Vendian reference section at the Ura Uplift. Unlike the latter, it is mainly composed of continental glacial deposits and is marked by a complex facies composition. The glacial origin of the Nichatka Formation is reliably determined on the basis of a set of diagnostic characters. This permits a more complete reconstruction of the Early Vendian depositional environments. In addition to typical basal tillites and marginal moraine deposits, the formation includes glaciolacustrine and fluvioglacial sediments along with aquatillites, allotillites, and the glacial fan, including subaqueous, deposits.

Redeposited Neoproterozoic (?) glacial deposits on the winter coast (Winter Mountains, White Sea)

Large dolomite fragments, part of which contain lonestones, while others look like cap dolomites, were found on the Winter coast of the White Sea. It is assumed that these rocks were plowed by the Late Quaternary glacier from Neoproterozoic glacial deposits lying probably on the White Sea bottom.

New ichnospecies of scratching traces from phosphatic nodules (Cenomanian, England)

Surfaces of phosphorite nodules and pebbles from the “Cambridge Green Sand” (Cenomanian, South England) yielded several discernible types of scratches. These originated before the burial of nodules/pebbles as evidenced by fossil epibiotic oysters cemented to cover the scratches. The individual forms of scratches differ in size and shape; therefore, the set of “scratching instruments” also had to be different. The scratches described differ from scratches generated by glacial processes, namely by the regularity of length and intervals, parallel orientation, existence of recurrent forms and placement along the nodule edges. We interpret the scratches as trace fossils of the ichnogenus Machichnus. Three new species, namely M. normani, M. harlandi and M. jeansi, are erected for them herein. The series of scratches originated probably by teeth on a couple of jaws; the makers possibly scraped bacterial or algal film off the surface of nodules that were covered with the phosphate gel. Both homodont and heterodont animals (probably fish) were involved.