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As a result of comprehensive studies in Arbakalir Lake and Charskii Hot Spring during the growing season in 2021, the physical and chemical parameters of water and the species and phytocenotic diversity of vegetation were studied. In the flora of water bodies, 56 taxa from seven divisions, of which 31 species belong to flowering plants, 22 species to macroalgae, and one species in each to bryophytes, horsetails, and lycophytes were identified. Two species are included in the Red Book, at both the federal and regional levels. Two species are classified as relict. The structure of the flora contains species of three ecotypes, of which 38 species (67.9%) belong to true aquatic plants. In the syntaxonomic structure of aquatic and coastal aquatic vegetation, 18 associations from 12 formations were identified. Based on factor analysis, the main factors influencing the distribution of phytocenoses are the water temperature, pH, mineralization, and the main cation, anion, and nutrient contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five samples of modern mineral sediments were collected during hydrogeochemical study of the Mogoiskii thermal spring in Northern Transbaikalia. Two of them contain opal as the major component of geyserite; carbonates, fluorides, and sodium sulfates predominate in the other three. Calculations of deep temperatures showed that the formation of geyserite was associated with low-temperature hydrotherms and was explained by a decrease in their temperatures upon discharge. Precipitation of easily soluble brine minerals occurs on the evaporation barrier, and they may dissolve completely and disappear in the rainy periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive research of water and cyanobacterial mats in Mogoysky and Shurindinsky thermal springs (Baikal rift zone) was carried out by hydrochemical, chemical, microbiological, and mineralogical methods. Detailed descriptions of the springs location and their characteristics were given. According to their chemical composition, the springs were classified as fluoride-bicarbonate (Mogoysky) and bicarbonatesulfate (Shurindinsky) types with a high concentration of fluorine. This is explained by the interaction of infiltration waters with embedding rocks. A wide diversity of cyanobacteria (14 species of 7 genera) was revealed in the investigated springs. The development of cyanobacteria in microbial mats was observed at water outflows at the temperatures of 37.8 to 76.6°C. Chlorophyll a was the predominant pigment in microbial mats of the studied springs, indicating predominance of cyanobacteria in the mat. Deposition of various pyrite forms, celestite (SrSO4), fluorite (CaF2), calcium carbonate, elemental sulfur, barite, and amorphous silica was found in microbial mats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents calculations of equilibria between nitrogenrich hot springs of the Baikal Rift Zone (BRZ) and a secondary mineral assemblage (carbonate, fluoride, clay, zeolite, and other minerals). The results confirm the equilibrium-nonequilibrium character of the nitrogen spring water-rock system. Unlike other water types, the system evolves under conditions of continuous incorporation of chemical elements released from the host minerals into the newly formed secondary minerals. This allows the system to remain dynamically stable with no increase in salinity, despite continued water-rock interaction. The main factor responsible for this state of the system is a deficiency of acids, i.e., high pH. As a result, the disturbance of relationships between concentrations of aqueous species compared to the starting composition of dissolved solids produces a deficiency of some elements (Ca, Mg, Fe, Al, etc.) and an excess of other elements (Na, Si, F, etc.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study regarding a new find of mineral kogarkoite in thermal deposits of the Mogoi springs in Buryatia, Russia. The study involves analysis of mineral composition of precipitates of hydrogenous minerals as crusts and coatings on the surfaces surrounding the spring. Also the study mentions chemical composition of kogarkoite which include sodium, potassium, sulphur, and chlorine, as revealed by X-ray spectral microanalysis.

The negative correlation between values δD and δO and concentrations of dissolved silicon in nitrogen hot springs is ascertained, which attests to the directed alteration of their hydroisotopic composition towards being depleted in heavy isotopes during interaction in the water-rock system. This fact can be allowed for the cases of the lighter isotopic composition of the hot springs of meteogenic origin relative to that of local atmospheric precipitation. The shifts in points of isotopic composition of hot springs from the global meteoric water line can be caused by alterations in either oxygen or hydrogen composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the sulfates and sulfide in nitrogen hot springs of the Bauntov group of the Baikal Rift Zone (BRZ) in the Vitim River Basin in Russia. It says that physicochemical characteristics of nitrogen hot springs were examined using analytical techniques and precipitates for the assessment of isotopes were obtained by deposition with cadmium acetate, sulfate sulfur, and barium chloride. The results suggest that sulfide sulfur in the hot springs is depleted in heavy isotopes compared with that of sulfates and the chemical oxidation of sulfide sulfur under reduced environments at high Eh values is inconceivable. It adds that the influence of sulfate reduction in the improvement of sulfate sulfur in a heavy isotope is apparent.