Mud Volcanoes of the Black Sea Region and their Environmental Significance

This exceptionally well-illustrated book at a high scientific level describes mud volcanism as a complex, multidimensional phenomenon requiring multidisciplinary study. Mud volcanoes can be used as “cheap windows” to search for gas-hydrates and other mineral resources in the Black Sea region. Nothing similar has been published before, and as one of its unique features the book includes a vast amount of new data unavailable so far to the western reader. The book includes new data on driving forces, mechanisms, origin, geological and geomorphological features of mud volcanoes as well as new data on composition of solid, gaseous, and liquid components of erupted material. It covers a wide geographic region, and its subjects range from geological to environmental to industrial applications. Foreword References Preface References Contents About the Authors 1: History of the Geological Study of Mud Volcanoes in the Black Sea Region 1.1 Ancient Times 1.2 Late Eighteenth to Nineteenth Centuries 1.3 Early Twentieth Century 1.4 Post World War II 1.5 Mud Volcanoes as Sources of Mineral Ores 1.6 Modern Geological Studies of Mud Volcanoes References 2: Study Area References 3: Materials and Methods References 4: Modern Ideas About Mud Volcanism 4.1 General Remarks 4.2 Structure of the Eruptive Channel of Mud Volcanoes 4.3 The Scale and Composition of Gases Released by Mud Volcanoes 4.4 Water from Mud Volcanoes 4.5 Mud Volcanic Breccia 4.6 Clastic Material 4.7 Accessory Mineralization References 5: Accompanying Mud Volcanic Structures References 6: Mud Volcanoes of the Black Sea Region 6.1 Geological Characteristics of Mud Volcanism in the Black Sea Region 6.2 Mud Volcanoes of the Kerch Peninsula 6.3 Mud Volcanoes of the Taman Peninsula and the Northwestern Caucasus 6.4 Mud Volcanoes of the Black Sea 6.5 Mud Volcanoes of the Northwestern Part of the Black Sea 6.6 Mud Volcanoes of the Western Black Sea Depression 6.7 Mud Volcanoes of the Eastern Black Sea Depression 6.8 Mud Volcanoes of the Sorokin Trough 6.9 Mud Volcanoes of the Kerch-Taman Shelf and Continental Slope 6.10 Mud Volcanoes of the Kerch Strait and the Sea of Azov 6.11 Mud Volcanoes of the Tuapse Trough and Shatskiy Ridge 6.12 Mud Volcanoes of Other Sectors of the Black Sea References 7: Other Types of Degassing in the Black Sea 7.1 Gas Seeps of the Northwestern Part of the Black Sea 7.2 Gas Seeps of the Crimean Shelf and Continental Slope 7.3 Gas Seeps of the Kerch-Taman Shelf and Continental Slope 7.4 Gas Seeps of the Caucasian Part of the Black Sea 7.5 Gas Seeps of the Bulgarian Part of the Black Sea 7.6 Gas Seeps of the Sea of Azov 7.7 Regularities in the Distribution of Gas Seepages References 8: Origin of Mud Volcanoes 8.1 General Remarks 8.2 Roots of Black Sea Mud Volcanoes 8.3 General Features of Fluidogenic Mineralization in the Mud Volcanic Process 8.4 Genetic Types of Mud Volcanoes 8.5 Fluidogenic Mineralization of the Western Black Sea Mud Volcanoes 8.6 Fluidogenic Mineralization of the Kerch-Taman Mud Volcanoes 8.7 Fluidogenic Mineralization of the North Caucasus Mud Volcanoes 8.8 Development of the Mud Volcanic Process 8.9 Mineralization in the Mud Volcanic Process 8.9.1 Statement of the Problem and the Origin of Authigenic Minerals in the Mud Volcanic Process 8.9.2 Genesis and Chemical Environment of Mineralization in Mud Volcanoes 8.9.3 Parageneses of Autogenous Minerals of the Black Sea Mud Volcanoes 8.10 Conclusions References 9: Mud Volcanism and Mineral Resources 9.1 Onshore and Offshore Mud Volcanoes as Possible Indicators of Petroleum and Gas Resources 9.2 Submarine Mud Volcanoes as Search Indicators for Methane Gas Hydrates in the Black Sea 9.3 Mud Volcanism and Iron Ore Deposits 9.4 Mud Volcanism and Mining of Chemical Raw Materials 9.5 Mud Volcanism and Sulfur Mineralization 9.6 Mud Volcanism and Building Materials 9.7 Mud Volcanic Breccia as Mineral Raw Material 9.7.1 Mud Volcanic Breccia as Raw Material for Expanded Clay 9.7.2 Mud Volcanic Clay as Raw Material for the Production of Metallurgical Pellets 9.7.3 The Recreational Value of Mud Volcanoes References 10: The Hazardous Nature of Mud Volcanoes 10.1 The Hazards of Terrestrial Mud Volcanoes 10.2 The Hazards of Marine Mud Volcanoes References 11: Black Sea Methane and Marine Biota (Case Study) 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Study Area 11.3 Geomorphological and Tectonic Settings 11.4 Materials and Methods 11.5 Results 11.5.1 Physicochemical Characteristics of Bottom Water 11.5.2 Lithological and Mineralogical Characteristics of Bottom Sediments 11.5.3 Geochemical Parameters of Bottom Sediments 11.6 Meiobenthos of Methane Biotopes in the Black Sea 11.6.1 Foraminifera 11.6.2 Nematoda 11.6.3 Ostracoda 11.7 Correlation of Biotic and Abiotic Parameters 11.8 Discussion 11.9 Conclusions Appendices Appendix 1: Taxonomic List of Foraminifera Appendix 2: Taxonomic List of Ostracoda Appendix 3: Taxonomic List of Nematoda References Correction to: Mud Volcanoes of the Black Sea Region and their Environmental Significance Correction to: E. Shnyukov, V. Yanko-Hombach, Mud Volcanoes of the Black Sea Region and their Environmental Significance, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-40316-4 Main Conclusions Acknowledgments Index