Tectonic fractures in Baikal bottom sediments (studies of BDP-98 core)

Structural studies of BDP-98 core recovered during deep drilling on the Aka demichesky Ridge (Baikal Drilling Project) have shown that the Baikal botto m sediments are cut by tension and shear joints of various scales, locally clustered into zones of fracturing. Specific features of the fractures, for med under the conditions of rifting and diagenesis, are related to their la tent character, effects of fluid pressure, prevalently normal geometry of e xtensional jointing, and the structure of the fracturing zones which favors horizontal extension. The obtained results reveal the regularities of acti ve extensional fracturing, as the latter in the case of Baikal is not overp rinted with earlier deformation.