29 June. Day 7. Trees in the middle of Lake Baikal

We are all awake before breakfast. Today we sampled one of the southernmost profiles perpendicular to the Gydratny fault (Profile F). Here the fault escarpment is not as pronounced as in the norther part and no obvious degassing/piercement structures can be observed on the seismic data along this part of the fault. Therefore, this can be considered as a background profile to quantify the lateral distribution of gas along the fault. All the recovered cores are relatively short (max 2 m). At this depth blf (below lake floor) the area appears to be draped by a homogeneous layer of well sorted sand that systematically prevents the penetration of the gravity corer.

Further, the topmost 2 m are intersected by thin (<5 cm) silty and sandy turbidite intervals as well as thicker (up to 10 cm) units of sandy silt mixed with abundant wood fragments and tree branches as large as the size of the gravity corer. 

The profile is completed and we head to Listvyanka.

During the transit we organized a small farewell barbecue party on the back deck. We cheer to our leaving participants. 

Vasily entertained us with his guitar, and the evening end up discussing plate tectonics and rifts formation.

Text: Adriano and team

Photo: Marina and team