Groundwater outflows and fault density spatial relation in the Baikal rift system (Russia)

Abstract

For the Baikal rift system (BRS) territory (Russian Federation) and the Barguzin-Baunt depression branch zone, active faults density is compared with the thermal and cold spring’s quantity and temperature to identify the geospatial statistical relationship of those parameters with a view to quantify the main factors connected with base principles study of modern hydrothermal formation. Statistical calculations show that the hot and cold spring’s number per unit area increases within the active faults number. It is established that an area with active faults density higher, than the mean value, is characterized by the maximum number of thermal springs. Correlation analysis showed that the number of modern mineral water springs per unit area and their temperature depend on the earth’s crust fragmentation degree: zones of reduced density are characterized by rare but hotter thermal springs, and zones of increased density are characterized by numerous and colder thermal vents, which probably connects with water dilution by underground cold waters in a more fractured geological environment.

Keywords

• correlation, mineral springs, thermal springs, active faults density, the Baikal rift system