Participants
Grigorii Akhmanov
Chief Scientist; Project Leader. Associate Professor of the Faculty of Geology of the Lomonosov Moscow State University; director of the UNESCO-MSU Training and Research Centre for Marine Geology and Geophysics; head of the UNESCO Chair of Marine Geology
Both as the Project leader and as a scientist I am very satisfied and impressed by progress achieved since we started the Class@Baikal Project. The expedition of 2014 was carried out very well, all tasks were fulfilled, all plans (including very ambitious) were performed. More than ten talks and presentations on national and international meetings and conferences were made on the base of the results of this “Training-through-research” expedition, several joint scientific papers were prepared by researchers of MSU and LIN SB RAS, the MSU students have defended four year-works, two BSc and two MSc theses on the base of obtained data. The idea of students’ expedition of the Baikal Floating University, a course of the expedition and some results were covered in mass-media web-publications and got a broad positive response among public and experts. Very good start of the project is a perfect example of fruitful partnership of academia and university systems and an illustration how much can be done even for short time if there are mutual interest in co-operation. Together we managed to demonstrate an appropriateness of the thesis which was formulated one year ago – “Students’ internship under principles of “Training-through-reserch (Floating University)” can become an important part of both modern university education in Russia and continuation of the investigations on the Lake Baikal”.
The expedition Class@Baikal-2014 is remarkable with its very friendly atmosphere onboard RV “G.Yu. Vereshchagin”, well-organized work of the crew and high professionalism of LIN SB RAS staff. Indeed, there was something to learn during that cruise. Both for young students and even for experienced seamen.
Personally, I am very impressed by bottom sampling campaign on the canyon of the Khuray channel. We are proud in particularly that this underwater depositional system got its name during our expedition because we were the first who took samples from that canyon. Of course, baikalian gas hydrates are very impressive. “Conserved” gas is one of the most unique natural phenomena. This is amazing! I was lucky to witness gas hydrates in different areas of the World Ocean, but even for me it was very exciting when the core arrived onboard RV “G.Yu. Vereshchagin” with the gas hydrates. You can imagine how it was for the students who saw them for the first time in life!
All obtained data are very interesting from scientific point of view. For the students it is real “training-through-research”. They have participated in discoveries, they work with material which never been processed yet. I was pleased to see that after the expedition all students have started their researches almost immediately, with great enthusiasm. Already in August (although it was vacation time for them) they came to laboratories to make analyses, they interpreted the data, etc. I was obvious that they have got inspired by Baikal and romanticism of scientific work. That means for me that all energy, time and finances spent for organization of the First expedition are not wasted. That means that there is a reason and motivation to organize the Second one! Maybe, it is the main result.
I wish and I believe that the Second expedition of Class@Baikal will be same or more succesfull. We plan to extent a complex of investigation methods, to study new areas, we invited onboard real experts. We even have managed to take onboard more students and to make the cruise longer.
So, hello, Baikal! We arrived again for new great discoveries – to unravel your mysteries and to discover something new in ourselves!
Oleg Khlystov
Chief Scientist. Head of the Laboratory of Geology of the Lake Baikal, Limnological Institute of Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences
Geology is my main scientific interest. During the expedition Class@Baikal 2015 I’ll perform mud volcano and seep monitoring, geothermal studies of areas where gas saturated fluid discharges. The underwater structures are being studied already for some years, each time I try to get more various data from each structure for creating model of different types of gas saturated fluid discharge. I expect from the expedition to Baikal meeting new people and to organizing meetings of those who have not yet met each other.
It can seem strange, but I still like to travel. I was born near the shore of Baikal Lake and since then I have been living here From the ongoing visit of Baikal I expect something new and unknown. It seems to me that I know a lot about Baikal, but I still hope to learn more. My main hobby is sport (ski race) During this expedition I’m planning to meet the dawn while everybody sleeps My expectations for the previous expedition Class@Baikal-2014 were justified on 90 %. The most evoking memory from the last year is that I got a new look to well-known things. Baikal amazed again by its unpredictable, but good weather. I did almost everything that I had planned. Everything goes according to the plan, thus there is nothing to change.
Dmitry Korost
Co-Chief Scientist. Senior Researcher of the UNESCO-MSU Training and Research Centre for Marine Geology and Geophysics (the Faculty of Geology of the Lomonosov Moscow State University); CEO of LLC "“Centre for Marine Investigations of Lomonosov Moscow State University"
Twelve years ago the program “Floating University” opened for me, as well as for dozens of other young geologists and geophysists, the world of marine geology. I’m very glad that after the quarter of the century from its birth the project created by M.K. Ivanov still successfully exists and keeps bringing up new specialists, who get from this project not only knowledge and profession but the world full of adventures and wonderful people.
When starting the project in 2014, everybody was both full of hopes and nervous (it was the very first Class@Baikal expedition!). As the result everything went fine and the project turned out to be a very successful one. The program reached a new level; we accomplished all the research goals and met wonderful people. And the most important thing – a number of young specialists joined the professional family of marine geologists.
Why we do this project? Because we can do it and thus we must do it!
Andrey Khabuev
Geophysical team; Geological group. Senior Engineer of the Laboratory of Geology of the Lake Baikal, Limnological Institute of Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences
My work is geophysical and geological investigations of the Lake Baikal. I will deal with onboard organization and navigation work of the expedition and coring operations. I participate in 2-3 similar expeditions each year. Previous Class@Baikal-2014 expedition brought to me many new experiences and friends. I hope that this expedition will be the same impressive and pleasant.
Oleg Belousov
Geophysical team; Geological group. Senior Engineer of the Laboratory of Geology of the Lake Baikal, Limnological Institute of Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences
My main research interest is geology of Lake Baikal. During the expedition I’ll be involved in many different activities. I have great experience as I was in the expeditions to Baikal many times. From Baikal I always expect sensation of freedom, fresh air and cold water. I think that Baikal is the best place in the world. Besides my interest to this place I have other hobbies and interest, which are cross-country skiing, cross-country (mountain bike) trips. In my free time I’ll just sleep.
Marina Solovieva
Geophysical team. MSc student of the Department of Seismometry and Geoacoustics, the Faculty of Geology, the Lomonosov Moscow State University
My specialty is geophysics (marine seismology). My sphere of interests is wide: I am interested in geological processes and phenomena which can be found on seabed: landslides, tectonic faults, gas in sediments and many more. In the expedition TTR-Class@Baikal-2015 I will take a part in seismic survey and interpretation of obtained data. Geophysical study of the Lake Baikal helps to detailed observation of sediments with the view of choosing bottom sampling sites. In the previous Class@Baikal expedition we didn’t get satisfactory seismic data. But we believe that this time everything will be fine with new equipment, supported by our new energy. In this expedition I take a part not only in geophysical, but also in geological legs, so I hope to receive many impressions, experience and new skills!
Anastasya Pirogova
Geophysical team. PhD student of the Department of Seismometry and Geoacoustics, the Faculty of Geology, the Lomonosov Moscow State University
Last year (2014) I graduated from the department of seismometry and geoacoustics of Lomonosov Moscow State University. Now I’m doing a post-graduate research there. My main scientific interests are in field of applied seismoacoustics; in particular – application of these methods for characterization of near-surface unconsolidated sediments.
During Baikal@Class2015 I’ll participate in the geophysical leg of the expedition. I’ll be working with multichannel seismic data, perform quality control, onboard processing and express-interpretation in accordance with geological research objectives. The main ones are mapping of BSR, investigation of the underwater mud volcano and fan structures that have been discovered during previous Baikal@Class expedition (2014), getting information about bottom morphology etc. Baikal@Class2015 is not the first marine expedition for me. Annually since 2012 I’ve been participating in the field-camp on marine ultra-high-resolution geophysics, which takes place at White Sea research station of Lomonosov Moscow State University. In 2014 I also participated in expedition in Kara Sea (Ob’ Gulf).
I’ve never been to Baikal and I’m anticipating the moment when I’ll see this unique place. From the expedition I expect to get new impressions and interesting results.
Berezka Anatoliy
Invited specialist. Geophysical team.
Albert Grigoriev
Invited specialist. Geophysical team. N.N.Andreev Acoustics Institute
Alexandr Chenskiy
Geophysical team. Head of the Chair of Radio Electronics and Telecommunication Systems, the Institute of Physics and Engineering of the Irkutsk National Research Technical University
Since I am lecturer at the University, the main interest for me is the concept of the training through research. Indeed spending time on a research vessel, the wonderful views of the lake add a lot of impressions boost the learning curve of students. New discoveries with students and colleagues are very important. The practical training completed during a marine expedition is incomparable to what can be learned during traditional University courses.
Dmitriy Chenskiy
Geophysical team. PhD student of the Institute of Physics and Engineering of the Irkutsk National Research Technical University
Engineer of information-measuring department, PhD student of the chair of “devices and methods of experimental physics”. In 2012 graduated at the Irkutsk Technique University on the specialty of multichannel connection systems. I work with geophysical teams since 2013 taking part in different expeditions in Russia. Last year I joined an expedition to the cold pole Tamtor village in Yakutiya around the lakes Labunkur and Vorota. There we did bottom surface mapping. The same summer I also took part to an expedition to investigate the sedimentary cover of Lake Oron in Bodaybinskiy region, Irkutsk area.
Andrey Bezrukin
Geophysical team. Engineer-Researcher of the Irkutsk National Research Technical University
Science interests: electronics, programming, hydroacoustics
Dmitriy Tokmacheov
Geophysical team. PhD student of the Chair of Radio Electronics and Telecommunication Systems, the Institute of Physics and Engineering of the Irkutsk National Research Technical University
Engineer of measuring systems department, PhD student for the chair of “Devices and methods of experimental physics”
Svetlana Korost
Head of geological group. Researcher of the Department of Petroleum Geology and Geochemistry, the Faculty of Geology, the Lomonosov Moscow State University
My main research interest is petroleum lithology and sedimentology. Most of the time on my professional path I devoted to the investigation of rocks that were formed million years ago, clarifying their accumulation and transformation processes.
However, nothing can help more in this as research than understanding of current processes in the Earth crust. About Baikal Lake I’ve heard a lot, watched movies about this place, but unfortunately had no opportunity to visit it myself. And I’ve never been to such expeditions as Class@Baikal. That’s why Class@Baikal-2015 is especially interesting for me as two my dreams will come true at once. Moreover, I’ll be able to view wonderful landscapes and also “glance” inside under water column and see the processes that occur there. And this opportunity is definitely unique.
Dina Gilyazetdinova
Leader of Sedimentological team. PhD student of the Department of Petroleum Geology and Geochemistry, the Faculty of Geology, the Lomonosov Moscow State University
My tasks in the expedition are lithological description of sediments and study of the composition and structural characteristics of mud volcano sediments of Lake Baikal. The topic of my research is related to the study of structural features of mud volcano sediments of Lake Baikal. This research issue was raised during the last year expedition Class@Baikal-2014. As the result of previous studies a mud volcano Novosibirsk was discovered by the research team from the LIN SB RAS. Despite the fact that the structure of Novosibirsk has all geophysical and geochemical evidences of mud volcano nature, the volcanic deposits have minor presence of mud volcanic breccia, which is difficult to identify in the sedimentary section. So now there’s a question about the structure and diagnostic evidences of mud volcano sediments of Lake Baikal. I took part in the expedition Class@Baikal-2014. And in 2013 I participated together with geologists from the Norwegian University of Tromso in the Barents Sea. From the expedition I expect to get good results that will help to understand more the nature of mud volcano sediments of Lake Baikal. And also I'd like to share my last year experience from Class@Baikal-2014 with younger students from Moscow State University. I like traveling very much. During the period of study at MSU I was fortunate to visit many places associated with geological expeditions and practices. The most memorable for me were: the Svalbard island, the White Sea and the Crimea. Marine expedition is always an exciting adventure, valuable experience and unforgettable memories. My attitude to such events is always extremely positive. From the visit to Lake Baikal I expect to get great memories as well as productive work in a team of like-minded people. Lake Baikal is a unique natural site for geological research. Its uniqueness implies the fact that within a small area of Lake Baikal it’s possible to find a huge amount of geological objects, which are certainly of great interest for study. These objects are current equivalents of sedimentation process, including such structures as underwater mud volcanoes and fans. Moreover its "bottomless", for which the lake has the status of the deepest one in the world, causes the presence of unique natural objects – gas hydrates.
Olesya Vidisheva
Leader of Geochemical team. MSc student of the Department of Petroleum Geology and Geochemistry, the Faculty of Geology, the Lomonosov Moscow State University
An orbit of my scientific interest is geochemistry of hydrocarbon gases. During the expedition Class@Baikal-2015 I will be working as a member of the geochemistry party. I will be taking a part in sampling, degassing of samples and their preparation for ulterior studying in MSU laboratories. Data of researches allows to define the nature of hydrocarbon gases and to advertise areas of anomalistic concentration.
Dinara Davletshina
Leader of engineering geology team. MSc student of the Department of Geocryology, the Faculty of Geology, the Lomonosov Moscow State University
The Engineering Geocryology, studying of microstructure and thermophysical properties (thermal conductivity) of frozen soils and sediments.
Jeffrey Poort
Expert, Geological group. Senior Researcher at the Institute of Earth Sciences in Paris (ISTeP), University Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC), Sorbonne Universités, France
My scientific interest is on geothermal processes in sedimentary basins, from lithosphere scale to local fluid related processes. During the Class@Baikal-2015 expedition, we will focus on the particular thermal field near seeps, mud volcanoes and gas hydrate deposits. The purpose is to better understand the migration and expulsion of fluids and gas and the formation and dissociation of hydrates.
Artur Kudaev
Engineering Geology team. Undergraduate student of the Department of Petroleum Geology and Geochemistry, the Faculty of Geology, the Lomonosov Moscow State University
I'm studying at Lomonosov MSU. As for my interests, I like all world around me and it is the main cause why I go to this expedition. From it I want to know much new things about Geology and life. For me The Baikal Lake is fair of questions, which very-very beautiful for everybody, who look at than. My role in expedition is research factors influencing on the slope stability; gas migration in bottom mud.
Ruslan Sakhibgareev
Sedimentological team. Undergraduate student of the Department of Lithology and Marine Geology, the Faculty of Geology, the Lomonosov Moscow State University
My scientific concerns are marine geology and sedimentology; reservoir geophysics is also interesting for me. During this course I am going to investigate bottom sediments of Baikal Lake. Having done macrodescription of taken probes onboard, further I am going to study them in more details in lab and, finally, to write it up as a diploma work. This year I was at the White Sea for about two weeks in a geological field-camp. From Class@Baikal expedition I expect to get new knowledge on geology of Baikal Lake and lots of positive emotions. I like to travel very much. After taking part in Black Sea and White Sea geological field-camps I understand that I’d like to participate in such offshore camps again and again. I haven’t been to Baikal earlier. I am sure that it is going to be very interesting geological practice and that it will help me to learn more about this beautiful place. Up to the moment all I knew about Baikal Lake is that it`s the deepest reservoir of fresh water and one of the most beautiful places in the world. I want to say that I like to travel and keen on sports, especially hockey and soccer. In my free time I read classic literature (Dostoyevskiy, Chekhov and others). During this expedition I want to make a good research of its geology without harming its environment. Also I am expecting to meet a lot of new interesting people and make good friends with participants of this expedition. I want to share my experience and knowledge with them as well
Maria Topchiy
Geochemical team. MSc student of the Department of Petroleum Geology and Geochemistry, the Faculty of Geology, the Lomonosov Moscow State University
My main scientific interest is petroleum geochemistry and geochemistry of hydrocarbon gases in particular. During the Class@Baikal 2015 I will perform geochemical analysis of hydrocarbon gasses. My main objectives in this expedition will be geological sampling, degasation of hydrocarbon gases and preparation of samples for further lab studies. As the result of the expedition I expect to get unique experience and new knowledge, impressions and meet new people. Travelling is one of my favorite activities. I’ve been to many countries, but unfortunately I haven’t travelled much within Russia. And I hope to change this in the nearest future. Moreover, I’m very enthusiastic about voyages. And that’s why to visit Baikal Lake has been always a dream for me. I think that it’s a must-visit place for everyone. Among my other hobbies are learning new languages and yoga. In the expedition Class@Baikal firstly I’ll be viewing and enjoy picturesque sights and chat with other participants of the expedition.
Kirill Grigoriev
Geophysical team. Electronics Engineer of the Institute of Physics and Engineering of the Irkutsk National Research Technical University
The topic of my scientific interests is hydroacoustics, programming and data processing. Offshore I do profiling and data interpretation. This is not my first cruise, and according to my experience, I know that all participants expect a safe returning home. I am not a passionate traveler, but since I live in Irkutsk I visit Baikal often. I wish we will have nice weather and calm sea.
Adriano Mazzini
Expert, Geological group. Senior Researcher, the Centre for Earth Evolution and Dynamics (CEED - University of Oslo)
I am very glad to be onboard again here in Lake Baikal and work with my new and old friends, to share with them new discoveries and unforgettable moments.
Lake Baikal is an ideal natural laboratory to study gas seeps, flares, mud volcanoes, slumps and debris flows, canyons and channels in the coastal proximity, providing a large variety of active geological features that can be easily reached at daily sailing distance. Pretty much anything you wish to study randomly opening any text book of marine geology. I wish a long-lasting life to the Class@Baikal, to continue its scientific program combined with the training of new generations of students with the help of dedicated scientists.
Gulnaz Karamova
Geochemical team. Undergraduate student of the Department of Petroleum Geology and Geochemistry, the Faculty of Geology, the Lomonosov Moscow State University
The sphere of my scientific interest is Geology and Geochemistry of Combustible Minerals.
During the expedition I will study Geochemistry of hydrocarbon gases and will take part in sampling process and in extraction free gas from the sediments for its further learning in the laboratory at Moscow State University. It is my first time in such kind of expeditions. I expect to get invaluable experience, practicable knowledge and unforgettable impressions.
Today the Baikal is one of the seven world`s miracle, and the clearest and the most beautiful lake for me. I have never been at the Baikal yet, and I expect to get positive energy boost from visiting the lake and recharge my batteries.
I like to travel very much, because at the travelling you learn the world and discover something new for yourself. I have been in Crimea and in Czech Republic. I haven`t been in voyages yet, but it seems to me to be very interesting and exciting! I like drawing as well, I graduated Art School, that`s why at my spare time I am going to draw the Baikal`s view.
Vladimir Kirillov
Sedimentological team. Undergraduate student of the Department of Lithology and Marine Geology, the Faculty of Geology, the Lomonosov Moscow State University
My scientific interest focusses on the investigation of sedimentary processes. During the cruise I will deal with lithological description of sediments and further analyses of the obtained data.
I never participated to any cruise. I am looking forward for new impressions from this trip. Lake Baikal is the best place, it is a real natural miracle and a unique place – there is no other place like that.
I like to travel very much, and I visited different places in Russia. I was impressed from boat trips. Several years ago I was lucky to be near Lake Baikal in the Sludyanka area and I fell in love with this place. I am happy to return here again
Anna Pochevalova
Sedimentological team. Undergraduate student of the Department of Petroleum Geology and Geochemistry, the Faculty of Geology, the Lomonosov Moscow State University
The scope of my research interests is the oil and marine geology, in the expedition I enter the sedimentation squad. My course work focused on terrigenous accumulation of deep-sea fans and their reservoir properties, as part of this work I partially processed materials, selected in the expedition "Class@Baikal 2014". In the upcoming flight will deal description Baikal sediments, particularly alluvial fan deposits Khurai. My main goal is the final awareness of the processes and phenomena that I just described earlier in the paper.
It is the first marine expedition for me, I look forward to days full of impressions and the subsequent desire to return to the unlimited, transparent but unknown Baikal.
Nikina Gubin
Geophysical team. Geophysical teamPhD student of the Chair of Radio Electronics and Telecommunication Systems, the Institute of Physics and Engineering of the Irkutsk National Research Technical University
Although my education is closer to radio electronics and programming, since 2013 I took part in several exciting geophysical investigations. Geophysical devices are very similar to radio electronics and this is very interesting for me since I am electronic engineer. During this expedition I improved my skills in geophysical data interpretation, and broadened my knowledge in the Lake Baikal geology. The information exchange and the integration of the data collected with different approaches is crucial to improve our knowledge.
Svetlana Bubnova
Media-team