Yangon Tau Mountain
Yangantau Mountain is a unique geothermal feature on the platform part that is not associated with magmatism. The mountain is located in the southern part of the Yuryuzan-Sylva depression of the Pre-Ural trough, in close proximity to the associated Karatau allochthon on the right bank of the Yuryuzan River, in its left bend, east of the village of Chulpan. It is a hill that stretches from south-west to north-east along the right bank of the Yuryuzan River. The absolute elevation of the summit is 416 m, and the base is 252 m above sea level.
Within the Yangantau Mountain, 5 sites were described where hot gases and steam are released from the subsurface. Installed heating of the mountain's interior by more than 300 ° C. The question of the formation of high-temperature geothermal anomalies is still open.
Quite a lot of points of view are expressed, each of which is supported by factual material corresponding to the period of research formulation and characterizing the general level of geological knowledge of those times.
The mystery of the Yangantau Mountain phenomenon
The main known hypotheses are reduced to:
1) an underground fire of bituminous shales caused by a lightning strike (P. S. Pallas, 1773, supported by F. N. Chernyshev, 1886; B. A. Nikitin, 1934, etc.);
2) oxidation of bituminous shales with self-heating and smouldering (V. V. Stilmark, 1939, 1952-1954, 1966, etc.);
3) chemical reactions with the release of heat, in particular the transition of iron oxide to oxide (the first observations of F. N. Chernyshev, 1881-1885, supported by S. S. Petrov at the beginning of the twentieth century, etc.);
4) heat generated as a result of rock friction in discharge zones (K. A. and L. A. Milovidov and I. A. Ogildi, 1948, etc.);
5) the heat of the magma chamber, which heats water vapor rising along discharge cracks (A. Bikkel, 1932). In 1957, G. V. Vakhrushev proposed the hypothesis of radioactive heat rising from great depths. In the late 1970s, the research was conducted by the staff of the Faculty of Geology of Moscow State University, under the supervision of A. I. Konyukhov (1979). In the "Conclusion" section of their report, the authors note: "A comprehensive geological and geochemical study shows that the processes occurring in the bowels of Mount Yangantau have not yet been sufficiently convincingly explained" and further: "Given the current state of knowledge of the junction zone of the Karatau massif and adjacent areas of the Pre-Ural trough, and especially in the absence of detailed geophysical studies it is difficult to judge the underlying processes that could be associated with the release of significant amounts of heat."
Among the" endogenous " hypotheses, we should ignore the magmatic hypothesis (including the volcanic one), on the one hand, it is a tectonic derivative, and on the other hand, it is poorly consistent with the magmaticity of all the marginal troughs of the world, including the Pre — Ural one, where Mount Yangantau is located. To find out the genesis of the Yangantau Mountain thermal anomalies, it is necessary to use other criteria that have not yet been used, based on both previously known and new knowledge about the features of the geological structure of the region.
To find out the genesis of the Yangantau Mountain thermal anomalies, it is necessary to use other criteria that have not yet been used, based on both previously known and new knowledge about the features of the geological structure of the region. Research is needed in the field of structural geology and geotectonics in the light of new ideas; study of paleomagnetic features of the youngest, Quaternary formations; seismological observations based on fault tectonics; establishment of the paleotemperature regime and its relationship with structural elements.
Within the Yangantau Mountain, 5 sites were described where hot gases and steam are released from the subsurface. Installed heating of the mountain's interior by more than 300 ° C. The question of the formation of high-temperature geothermal anomalies is still open.
Quite a lot of points of view are expressed, each of which is supported by factual material corresponding to the period of research formulation and characterizing the general level of geological knowledge of those times.
The mystery of the Yangantau Mountain phenomenon
The main known hypotheses are reduced to:
1) an underground fire of bituminous shales caused by a lightning strike (P. S. Pallas, 1773, supported by F. N. Chernyshev, 1886; B. A. Nikitin, 1934, etc.);
2) oxidation of bituminous shales with self-heating and smouldering (V. V. Stilmark, 1939, 1952-1954, 1966, etc.);
3) chemical reactions with the release of heat, in particular the transition of iron oxide to oxide (the first observations of F. N. Chernyshev, 1881-1885, supported by S. S. Petrov at the beginning of the twentieth century, etc.);
4) heat generated as a result of rock friction in discharge zones (K. A. and L. A. Milovidov and I. A. Ogildi, 1948, etc.);
5) the heat of the magma chamber, which heats water vapor rising along discharge cracks (A. Bikkel, 1932). In 1957, G. V. Vakhrushev proposed the hypothesis of radioactive heat rising from great depths. In the late 1970s, the research was conducted by the staff of the Faculty of Geology of Moscow State University, under the supervision of A. I. Konyukhov (1979). In the "Conclusion" section of their report, the authors note: "A comprehensive geological and geochemical study shows that the processes occurring in the bowels of Mount Yangantau have not yet been sufficiently convincingly explained" and further: "Given the current state of knowledge of the junction zone of the Karatau massif and adjacent areas of the Pre-Ural trough, and especially in the absence of detailed geophysical studies it is difficult to judge the underlying processes that could be associated with the release of significant amounts of heat."
Among the" endogenous " hypotheses, we should ignore the magmatic hypothesis (including the volcanic one), on the one hand, it is a tectonic derivative, and on the other hand, it is poorly consistent with the magmaticity of all the marginal troughs of the world, including the Pre — Ural one, where Mount Yangantau is located. To find out the genesis of the Yangantau Mountain thermal anomalies, it is necessary to use other criteria that have not yet been used, based on both previously known and new knowledge about the features of the geological structure of the region.
To find out the genesis of the Yangantau Mountain thermal anomalies, it is necessary to use other criteria that have not yet been used, based on both previously known and new knowledge about the features of the geological structure of the region. Research is needed in the field of structural geology and geotectonics in the light of new ideas; study of paleomagnetic features of the youngest, Quaternary formations; seismological observations based on fault tectonics; establishment of the paleotemperature regime and its relationship with structural elements.
Location