Home – Home – Jornals – Region: Economics and Sociology 2011 number 1

We report results of experiments in which samples of ultramafic xenoliths from the Udachnaya-Vostochnaya kimberlite pipe (Siberian craton, Yakutia) were heated, in a flow reactor, by flows of reduced gas at temperatures between 800 °C and 1200 °C. The heating tests were preceded by investigation into the gas composition of main phases. When subjected to heating by the reduced gas flows, the samples of metasomatized lithospheric mantle released reduced fluids and formed partial melts, the composition of the latter being controlled by fusibility of rocks ("readiness" of liquid to segregate). The initial compositions of the partially molten rocks turned out to correlate with those of secondary inclusions in matrix minerals and of most fusible minerals in reaction rims and in metasomatic veins, as inferred from the analysis of vitrified melting products and structure of the heated rocks. The effect of partial melting of matrix minerals was to increase the contents of Al (melting of garnet) and Mg (olivine and orthopyroxene rims) in the melts. The experimental melts are difficult to compare with natural felsic and mafic rocks in average compositions. The bulk compositions of fluids in altered ultramafics disagree with the computed equilibrium compositions according to some correlation relations (CO₂ ↔ CO, r⁺).

We have revealed early productive disseminated pyrite-arsenopyrite mineralization with invisible gold in tectonic zones and late nest-veinlet gold-polysulfide mineralization with free gold in zones of silicified rocks at the Suzdal', Zherek, and Bol'shevik deposits in eastern Kazakhstan, localized within black shales. Two varieties of arsenopyrite differing in morphology, chemical composition, and gold contents have been established in them: acicular-prismatic and tabular. Gold was determined by a specially elaborated technique ensuring a detection limit of 30 ppm Au. Acicular-prismatic arsenopyrite is the main ore mineral of the early productive stage of mineralization; it has high gold contents (1400-5360 ppm) and a nonstoichiometric composition (S/As = 1.2) and is slightly depleted in Fe. The absence of correlation between the contents of the main arsenopyrite components and gold and the strongly uneven distribution of gold among the mineral grains and within a grain point to the presence of invisible gold as elemental particles deposited together with arsenopyrite. Tabular arsenopyrite is abundant at the Suzdal deposit, where gold-polysulfide mineralization and argillization are widespread. It has low gold and high antimony contents and a stoichiometric composition. Visible gold usually grows over tabular arsenopyrite.
The isotopic composition of sulfur of acicular-prismatic arsenopyrite and globular-crystalline pyrite formed at the early mineralization stage is characterized by δ³⁴ S = 0.0...-3.3 ‰ and evidences a mantle source of sulfur with a partial borrowing of crustal sulfur. The tabular arsenopyrite and other sulfides of the second productive assemblage show a lighter isotopic composition of sulfur (δ³⁴ S = -7.7...-10.2 ‰), which is due to sulfur fractionation under high oxygen fugacity at the late ore deposition stage. The coexistence of two sets of arsenopyrite of different morphologic varieties and compositions at the deposit point to a long ore deposition, the coexistence of mineralization formed at different stages, and the evolution of physicochemical parameters.

The formation conditions of placers within the Tapsa-Kaakhem gold zone of Tuva have been studied, and the relation between primary and placer gold deposits has been studied. Polycyclicity in the valleys of the region resulted in the formation of gold placers of various morphologies with stratified producing reefs in loose sediments differing in composition and age: Oligocene-Lower Pliocene, Eopleistocene-Lower Pleistocene, Middle Pleistocene, and Upper Pleistocene. A complex relation between placers and their primary sources has been established. In general, the macrocomposition of gold in the producing reefs of different ages reflects the composition of gold from the primary sources. From older to younger producing reefs, gold fineness varies more widely, showing a trend toward smaller values. This suggests that undiscovered primary sources belonging to another association exist in the source area. The same is confirmed by a drastic change in the typomorphic features, grain size, and roundedness of gold in the longitudinal section of the Bai-Syut River valley. The peculiarities of gold from placers formed by the rewashing of glacial drift have been established. In the Kopto placer, nuggets are widespread (>10 mm), which fully retained the shape inherent to vein gold. Apparently, the nuggets were transported to the placer with glacial drift in quartz gravel, which protected them from rounding. Quartz crumbled completely, and gold became free in situ under frost action. The presence of nuggets in the Kopto placer permits predicting a cluster distribution of gold in the known thin quartz veins.

The paper is devoted to monomineralic and multiphase (melt) inclusions in magnetites from the phoscorites of the Loolekop deposit, the Phalaborwa alkaline carbonatite complex, South Africa. Multiphase inclusions vary greatly in phase composition from essentially carbonate to carbonate-silicate-oxide. Their main components are dolomite, calcite, fluorapatite, picroilmenite, phlogopite, magnesite, and brucite. In one multiphase inclusion, a rare carbonate, fairchildite K₂Ca(CO₃)₂, was found in the central part of a large magnetite grain. It coexists with dolomite, picroilmenite, phlogopite, brucite, witherite, and halite. This is the first occurrence of fairchildite in carbonatite complexes and in igneous rocks in general. The composition of this mineral (38.54 K₂O, 23.15 CaO, 1.47 FeO, 0.63 Na₂O, n = 5) is close to the ideal K₂Ca(CO₃)₂. The phase relationships within the inclusion show that potassium-calcium carbonate crystallized after phlogopite and picroilmenite, but before dolomite. Temperature estimations from the pairs magnetite-ilmenite and dolomite-calcite indicate that phoscorites began to form at T > 630-750 °C and the phase K₂Ca(CO₃)₂ is a high-temperature modification (fairchildite) which crystallized directly from melt rather than by solid-phase reactions. However, it can be transformed into a low-temperature modification (bütschliite) with decreasing temperature at 547 °C. Apparently, the extremely low Na content and relatively high K content of the initial calciocarbonatite melt favored the formation of fairchildite in the Phalaborwa phoscorites. According to literature data, if Na₂O dominates over K₂O in the carbonatite melt, nyerereite Na₂Ca(CO₃)₂ is a favorable phase for crystallization, and K incorporates into its structure as a minor component.

The study area covers the central part of the Great Lakes Basin in western Mongolia. A specific feature of the area is abundant evidence of large lakes existed there not long ago. The evidence is barrier beaches, terrace complexes, and large sand massifs. Remote sensing and field studies showed active tectonic processes within the Great Lakes Basin. Numerous paleoseismogenic deformations have been revealed along the periphery and in the water area of paleolake Hyargas Nuur, which was six times larger than the modern lake. The absolute heights of the maximum paleolake phase are 1143 m, which is 115 m higher than the present-day lake level. Tectonic movements led to the elevation of part of the former paleolake water area and barrier beaches to the absolute level of 1175 m. Landslides might have caused tsunami in the paleolake water area.

We report CDP reflection profiling data acquired by Yeniseigeofizika OJSC in the southwestern Siberian craton. The collected reference and regional profiles of a total length of ~5000 km run in W-E and N-S directions and traverse all major structural elements of the craton. The data were processed to obtain important evidence for the sediment structure as a basis for further exploration. The synthesis of the results allowed mapping the Riphean surface, with sedimentary sequences and basement highs. The thicknesses and deformation patterns of rocks were used to distinguish ten zones, which differ in structure and composition as well as in the position with respect to major units of the overlying Vendian-Paleozoic strata. The distinguished zones have been ranked in terms of exploration and licensing priority.

Today, one of the most topical questions in the recent geodynamics of eastern Asia is that concerning the existence of the Amurian Plate and its boundaries. An unambiguous answer is difficult to obtain because seismicity is relatively rare and weak and the plate boundaries are often geomorphologically unclear. One of the methods that can help is satellite geodesy. In the present study, the velocity field of recent horizontal crustal movements was obtained from five repeated GPS observations on the Amur-Zeya geodynamic test ground (Amur Region) in 2001-2007. On this basis, the parameters of the relative rotation of the Eurasian and Amurian plates were calculated. The coordinates of their rotation pole were found to be 122.285°E and 58.950°N, and the angular rotation velocity 0.095 deg/Myr. The resulting kinematic model describes the motion of the Eurasian and Amurian Plates as independent tectonic units. According to statistical analysis, this hypothesis is true at a confidence level of more than 99%. Also, calculations have shown that the eastern boundary of the Amurian Plate passes through a branch of the Tan-Lu fault system. The kinematic model for the Eurasian and Amurian Plates agrees with data on the kinematics of active faults and the modern tectonic stress field at the plate boundary.

The dependence of Stoneley attenuation length on the concentration and composition of salt in pore fluid observed in experiments may be associated with osmosis. The salinity dependence is relevant to methods in which the permeability of porous formations is estimated from its relation ship with the Stoneley attenuation length.

The paper presents ³⁹Ar-⁴⁰Ar and U-Pb (SHRIMP zircon method) geochronological data on minor picrodolerite intrusions fr om western Mongolia. Picrodolerite magmatism in western Mongolia took place within different age intervals and in different geodynamic settings: accretionary-collisional Є_1-2, ~510 Ma (Ььreg Nuur association, Hayrhan massif), intraplate D₁, 410-390 Ma (Tsagaan Shuvuut Range, Mor't Uula massif), intraplate D₃-C₁, 345-360 Ma (Altan Gadas, Tavtyn Hundiyn, and Hu Tsan Bulak massifs), island-arc C₂, 315-335 Ma (Dzahuy, Yaryn Had, and Javhlant massifs), and intraplate P₁, ~270 Ma (Dzaraa Uula massif).
Petrographic, mineralogical, and geochemical data permit distinguishing derivates of picrobasaltic (12-14 wt.% MgO) (Ььreg Nuur association, Tsagaan Shuvuut Ridge, Javhlant and Yaryn Had massifs) and melabasaltic melts (7-10 wt.% MgO) (Mor't Uula, Altan Gadas, Dzahuy, and Dzaraa Uula) among picrodolerite magmatism in western Mongolia. Picritoids in these associations resulted from early olivine fractionation.
The Early Devonian picrites and picrodolerites of the Tsagaan Shuvuut Range and the olivine dolerites of the Mor't Uula massif can be assigned mafic magmatism in the Devonian large igneous province (LIP) (North Mongolian megablock). Late Devonian-Early Carboniferous picrodolerite intrusions in the Baruun Huuray zone (Altan Gadas) and Mongolian Altay (Tavtyn Hundiyn) are related to the Tien Shan LIP. Bimodal volcanism on the southern margin of the Hangayn Mts. (Dzaraa Uula), in the eastern segment of the Hanhuhiy Range (Dzagday Nuur, Hara Teg), and in the Argalantu trough (Tegshiyn Gol, Muhur Shurgah, and Deed Shurgah massifs) might be related to the Tarim LIP, wh ere they are part of an Early Permian volcanoplutonic association. Carboniferous picrodolerite massifs in the South Mongolian megablock and the Trans-Altai Gobi formed in subduction-related settings (Dzahuy, Yaryn Had, Javhlant).

Using geological, geophysical, and thermophysical parameters we performed a numeric modeling of the thermal regime of a collisional process by the example of the Yenisei Ridge Neoproterozoic orogen in the southwestern framing of the Siberian Platform. The results yielded by the described 3D numerical models and by the one-dimensional parametric modeling of the thermal effect of crustal matter differentiation allowed reconstructing the main tectonothermal processes of the collisional stage of this structure formation. The performed modeling allows taking into account the local particularities of the crustal thermal state of the structure under discussion and at the same time it allows determining the general regularities typical of orogens on postcollisional stages. We have established that it is the action of three factors that significantly influences the thermal regime: the radiogenic heat of the intrusions, high heat flow anomalies, and clustering of the Glushikha complex leucogranitic bodies in the central region of the Central Angara terrane. Our studies have shown that tectonic processes combined with diachronous magmatic activity can significantly affect the course of collisional orogens' thermal history.

Chromium- and vanadium-bearing metamorphic derivates of siliceous-carbonate sediments in the Sludyanka granulite-facies complex, southern Baikal, contain high-Cr clinopyroxenes that belong to the diopside-kosmochlor-natalyite join (CaMgSi₂O₆-NaCrSi₂O₆-NaVSi₂O₆). The ternary join includes isomorphic binary joins of which the diopside-kosmochlor join with 94% kosmochlor (Kos) end-member has been studied in detail and found to be virtually complete. As indicated by signature of diopside-eskolaite reactions in the minerals, kosmochlor and high-Cr members of the join formed at the expense of metamorphic eskolaite as a result of Na input after progressive metamorphism. There is no miscibility gap along the diopside-kosmochlor join; the incompleteness of the kosmochlor formation reaction and the coexistence of its compositionally different members are rather due to kinetic factors associated with low mobility of Cr. Thus, the mechanism of Cr incorporation in clinopyroxenes does not depend on PT -conditions of metamorphism.

The following structural elements have been recognized to constitute the tectonic demarcation of Central Asian Foldbelt: (1) The Kazakhstan-Baikal composite continent, its basement formed in Vendian-Cambrian as a result of Paleoasian oceanic crust, along with Precambrian microcontinents and Gondwana-type terranes, subduction beneath the southeastern margin of the Siberian continent (western margin in present-day coordinates). The subduction and subsequent collision of microcontinents and terranes with the Kazakhstan-Tuva-Mongolia island arc led to crustal consolidation and formation of the composite-continent basement. In Late Cambrian and Early Ordovician, this continent was separated from Siberia by the Ob'-Zaisan ocean basin. (2) The Vendian and Paleozoic Siberian continental margin complexes comprising the Vendian-Cambrian Kuznetsk-Altai island arc and the rock complexes of Ordovician-Early Devonian passive margin and Devonian to Early Carboniferous active margin. Fragments of Vendian-Early Cambrian oceanic crust represented by ophiolite and paleo-oceanic mounds dominate in the accretionary wedges of island arc. The Gondwana-type continental blocks are absent in western Siberian continental margin complexes and supposedly formed at the convergent boundary of a different ocean, probably, Paleopacific. (3) The Middle-Late Paleozoic Charysh-Terekta-Ulagan-Sayan suture-shear zone separating the continental margin complexes of Siberia and Kazakhstan-Baikal. It is composed of fragments of Cambrian and Early Ordovician oceanic crust of the Ob'-Zaisan basin, Ordovician blueschists and Cambrian-Ordovician turbidites, and Middle Paleozoic metamorphic rocks of shear zones. In the suture zone, the Kazakhstan-Baikal continental masses moved westward along the southeastern margin of Siberia. In Late Devonian and Early Carboniferous, the continents amalgamated to form the North Asian continent. (4) The Late Paleozoic strike-slip faults forming an orogenic collage of terranes, which resulted from Late Devonian to Early Carboniferous collision between Kazakhstan-Baikal and Siberian continents and Late Carboniferous to Permian and Late Permian to Early Triassic collisions between East European Craton and North Asian continent. As a result, the Vendian to Middle Paleozoic accretion-collisional continental margins of Siberia and the entire Kazakhstan-Baikal composite continent became fragmented by large-amplitude (up to a few thousand kilometers) strike-slip faults and conjugate thrusts into several strike-slip terranes, which mixed with each other and thus disrupted the original geodynamic, tectonic, and paleogeographic demarcation.

A brief review of Ordovician blueschist complexes on the southwestern framing of the Siberian craton is presented in order to place further age constraints on the tectonic evolution of the Central Asian orogenic belt (CAOB). Three different blueschist localities (imbricated slices of blueschists in the Uimon Zone, Gorny Altai; a blueschist unit in the Kurtushiba ophiolite belt; blocks of blueschists and eclogites in a serpentinite melange of the Chara zone, northeastern Kazakhstan) are considered. We obtained ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dates for white micas and sodic amphiboles from blueschists of the Uimon Zone (490-485 Ma), Kurtushiba belt (470-465 Ma), and Chara zone (450 Ma), suggesting the Ordovician ages of the subduction/exhumation of these complexes. The dates obtained also coincide with the metamorphic ages of many blueschist belts in North China, which allows us to distinguish the Ordovician stage of accretion-collision events in the tectonic evolution of the CAOB.

Diamond microinclusions provide the unique opportunity to study the composition of the mineral-forming medium. The paper presents the first data on the composition of cloudy microinclusions in the cores of octahedral diamonds from the Internatsional'naya pipe. These zones are of cuboid shape and have a fibrous internal structure. Here, the microinclusions form a continuous trend from chloride-carbonate to carbonate composition. Their composition slightly overlaps that of the microinclusions in cuboids from the same pipe, but in a carbonate-enriched zone. Also, data on N aggregation suggest that the cubic zones which formed before octahedra crystallized at higher temperature or spent considerably more time in the mantle than cubic crystals and fibrous coats of type IV diamonds.

U-Pb dating (SHRIMP-II) and study of the internal structure and composition were carried out for zircon from hypersthene gneiss from the Irkut granulite-gneiss block (Sharyzhalgai uplift in the southwestern Siberian craton). Three generations of zircon have been revealed in the hypersthene gneiss, which differ in zoning pattern, U and Th concentrations, and REE distribution. Zircon cores with growth zoning relics show a REE pattern typical of magmatic zircon: with a high (Lu/Gd)_n value (11-36) and a distinct Ce anomaly (Ce/Ce* = 15-81). They belong to early magmatic generation with an age of ≥3.16 Ga. Multifaced soccerball crystals, rims, and unzoned cores of zircon belong to metamorphogene generation; they are depleted in REE and show a lower (Lu/Gd)_n value (1.1-9.2) than the magmatic cores. This zircon generation formed as a result of the Mesoarchean high-temperature metamorphism at ~3.04 Ga. The latest zircon generation includes thin outer rims with low (Lu/Gd)_n (11-12.4) and Th/U (0.02-0.05) values and long-prismatic crystals with an oscillatory zoning, which resulted from the Paleoproterozoic (~1.85 Ga) granulite metamorphism and partial melting. The different ages of high-temperature metamorphism in the granulite-gneiss (~3.04 and 2.55-2.6 Ga) and granite-greenstone (~3.2 Ga) blocks of the Sharyzhalgai uplift reflect the independent tectonothermal and geodynamic evolution of crust in these structures, up to the final amalgamation in the Paleoproterozoic (1.88-1.85 Ga).

The North Kokchetav tectonic zone is located between the Kokchetav HP-UHP metamorphic belt and the Stepnyak zone of Ordovician island arc and oceanic complexes. The Kokchetav zone is a collage of nappes (thrust sheets) that consist of basement gneiss and sedimentary rocks of the Kokchetav microcontinent, granite gneiss, mica schists with eclogite blocks, the Shchuch'e ophiolite, Middle Proterozoic felsic volcanics, and Arenigian siliceous-terrigenous sediments with olistostromes. The latter are of gravity-sliding origin, and their clastic material includes quartz-muscovite and quartz-garnet-muscovite schists, gneiss, dolomite, and amphibolite. The sheet boundaries are marked by mylonite and Early Ordovician mica schists (⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages of syntectonic muscovite are 489-469 Ma). The North Kokchetav collage of compositionally diverse thrust sheets can be interpreted as a collisional zone. According to geological evidence, tectonic activity in the zone lasted as late as the Middle Ordovician. Syncollisional thrusting in the North Kokchetav zone was coeval with the latest dynamic metamorphic event in the Kokchetav belt. All events of retrograde metamorphism and exhumation of HP and UHP rocks in the belt are of Cambrian ages, i.e., the rocks had been exhumed prior to the Early-Middle Ordovician collisions and the related orogeny.

Geological, isotopic, and geochemical data permitted distinguishing the Mesoproterozoic (1.6-1.05 Ga), Early Neoproterozoic (1.05-0.8 Ga), and Late Neoproterozoic (0.8-0.6 Ga) stages of magmatism and crustal evolution in the Yenisei Ridge. Each of them contributed to the regional Au metallogeny. In the Early Mesoproterozoic, crustal destruction and stretching in the southwestern Siberian craton (Yenisei Ridge) led to the initiation of a pericratonic trough, the formation of rift mafic associations (Rybnaya-Panimba volcanic belt), and the accumulation of fine-grained terrigenous sediments (Sukhoi Pit Group). Black carbonaceous shales and the picrite basalt-basalt association were enriched in Au. In the early Neoproterozoic, the terrigenous strata of the Sukhoi Pit Group were deformed, metamorphosed, and granitized as a result of the Grenville orogeny. Granite-gneiss domes formed in the earlier, syncollisional, period (1.05-0.95 Ga) of this stage, and K-Na granitoid plutons formed in the late collisional one (0.88-0.86 Ga). Premineral metasomatites formed in the zone where these plutons influenced enclosing black shale-terrigenous strata. They host Au deposits, which formed later. The formation of quartz-reef zones correlates with that of thrust nappes (0.85-0.82 Ga). The latter is genetically related to the final stage of the evolution of a collisional orogen. In the Late Neoproterozoic, rift and intraplate magmatism was most intense and frequent (780, 750, 700, 670-650 Ma) in the Tatarka-Ishimba fault system. Manifestations of Mesoproterozoic volcanism and all the Au deposits of the Central metallogenic belt in the Yenisei Ridge are concentrated here. The three periods of gold-arsenopyrite-quartz, gold-sulfide, and Au-Sb mineralization correlate well with the initiation and evolution of rift structures and the manifestations of intraplate magmatism at 800-770, 720-700, and 670-650 Ma. The tectonomagmatic processes which took place in these periods might have been crucial in Au ore accumulation.

Based on study of fluid and melt inclusions in minerals from igneous rocks and associated ore-metasomatic objects, we consider the formation conditions of oxidized fluids produced at the final stages of differentiation of alkali-basic, alkaline, lamproitic, and some granitoid melts. These fluids are characterized by wide variations in composition, concentrations, and physicochemical parameters (PT, Eh, pH, etc.) and are of sulfate-chloride, sulfate-carbonate, sulfate-fluoride, fluoride-sulfate, essentially sulfate, and other types. The specific composition of these magmatogene fluids with a high extractive power ensures effective removal of ore-forming elements (Fe, Mn, Co, N, Ag, Cu, Pb, Zn, Mo, W, Bi, U, REE, etc.) from melt and their trapping from the host rocks. The set of these elements is determined by the PTX -parameters, conditions of fluid separation from melts, composition of fluid-generating magmas, and geochemical composition and metal-bearing capacity of rocks through which the fluids migrate. These factors significantly determine the metallogeny of alkaline, alkali-basic, and some granitoid complexes and associated mineralization.

The paper analyses the cooperation of competitors (cooperative competitiveness), and it introduces a notion of cooperative competitiveness and its economic treatment. The author shows how a spatial strategic planning may positively influence the institutional environment through stimulating innovations and cooperative competitiveness both between and inside regions which could result in better socio-economic development. Potentially negative impacts of cooperative competitiveness are also analyzed.

The paper analyses the innovation dynamics of regional systems through a synergic approach. Such innovation dynamics reflects non-linear interrelations of non-equilibrium processes of capital renewal, technological changes and economic growth in regional industrial systems. Non-linear dependence of the economic growth on the innovation dynamics are shown in case of some regions.

The paper develops basic elements of the modeling and methodical support for assessing the competitiveness of regional economies, and presents an econometric model for Kemerovo Oblast which allows identifying the most important factors and their impacts on regional competitiveness. We show that the more innovations are implemented by any RF unit, the higher competitiveness of such unit may be.

The author presents her analysis of the resource supply for reproducing human potentials both in regions and sectors. The international comparative position of Russia in human development is shown. The author concludes that most of Russians, due to their low wages or salaries, have not enough resources available to human reproduction while the public expenditures on education, healthcare and culture do not cover the lack of individual investments. The author, being based on the works of well-known economists, tries to answer the question whether a vicious circle of «a low labour productivity - low wages and salaries» could be destroyed and whether priorities of Russian social policy addressing contemporary challenges could be found.

The paper offers a sociological approach to diagnose innovation potentials of a territorial unit as well as the authors' understanding of the structure of innovation potentials and its elements such as environmental and human potentials. This approach, which was tested on the data concerning the Novosibirsk Research Center of SB RAS, allows identifying the strong and weak features, barriers, capacities and threats of the future innovation development.

The study considers the key factors of building and further development an innovation economy and peculiarities of Russian institutional system of the post-soviet period. We show how a natural resource rent has defined a character of the built institutions, and we also prove the necessity of reforms in public administration to overcome a «resource curse» of Russian economy and ensure its innovation development.

The paper analyses how Russian industrial policy could be improved to ensure the innovation development of the country. We show that a service-resource orientation of the Russian economy originates from lack of the active policy aimed at the priority development of high-tech industries which must be accompanied with the arrangements to build the innovation infrastructure through applying foreign high-tech technologies. The conclusion is that macroeconomic factors significantly define a sectoral structure of the national economy, and due to this fact the industrial policy should be supplemented with flexible measures of building more favorable conditions for the development of a manufacturing sector in Russia.

The paper analyses development capacities of the research centers considered as a key element of the national innovation system. We show the current management problems in such centers and kinds of supports provided by the government. The ways how to reform the operation of such centers to enhance better cooperation of all elements of the innovation system are presented here.

The paper deals with an empirical survey of small innovative firms in Siberian region, and the problems of innovative business are discussed. Some ideas how and what innovative entrepreneurship could be supported are suggested.

The study presents the results of the development and introduction into practice of nanotechnology projects implemented in the large intellectual centers of Siberia such as those located in Novosibirsk and Tomsk. The survey of the governmental support for the nanotechnology infrastructure is presented. Key problems of the introduction of nanotechnologies are identified.

The paper analyses the conditions which favour all the stages of an innovation cycle and the reasons why the works on some energy-efficient technology projects have been locked-in. We identified and ranged the economic, financial, scientific and technical, technological, institutional and legal barriers encountered during implementing such innovation cycle.

The study analyses how the climate changes considered as a new factor may influence the innovation development in Russia. We identify and analyze the adaptive and preventive innovations. Practical application of both innovations requires a complex of both institutional and technological innovations, i.e. an improved law and regulatory basis and an «eight technologies packet» which is of critical importance, respectively. We emphasize the special importance of those innovations where a multiplicative effect is beyond the scope of a «climatic» specter since the development and implementation of such innovations will bring a higher efficiency of production as well as the resolution of many problems of human environment and health.

The paper analyses the experience of an innovation project on building a special economic area in Tomsk to promote implementation of technical innovations. The results obtained are discussed. A special focus is on building a regional innovation system.

The study analyses the development problems of small cities and rural municipalities in the context of transition to the innovation development of economy. Since many of Russian rural municipalities are not yet fully industrialized, the innovations must take place first of all in governance which, in its turn, could stimulate technological modernization of traditional sectors and the development of regional clusters where municipal units may yield the advantages they have and thus have higher competitiveness.

An industrial corporation is considered as a self-organized and self-managed producing economic system. We formulate the special conditions and mechanisms of influence which allow more successful development of such corporations through applying the innovation entrepreneurship strategies implemented by all divisions and a corporation as a whole.

The paper shows that a new system of incentives, organizational structures and management technologies could be regarded and applied as the management innovations. We identify the barriers such management innovations may encounter during their implementation and show the ways how to overcome them. An innovation policy in relation to the enterprise management is understood here as a set of objectives, principles, rules and goals which allow the better management development of an enterprise

The paper compares the rating methods for analyzing the international positions of Europe and Hungary in R&D competition, and considers the correlation of elements of the national innovation system in Hungary. The author concludes that still there is no satisfactory technique to have reliable comparisons but despite the methodological shortcomings the deteriorated respective positions of the EU and Hungary in the global economic competition, as some indicators show, can be observed within the recent decades. Reasons why this happened and the arguments for current necessity of greater R&D expenses to increase the competitiveness of the EU are presented.

The paper presents the results of studies on identifying a set of indicators to assess innovation development and its applying to innovation management. Using the EC data, the author shows the situation in this sphere characteristic for this most advanced region. As such indicators are mainly of the analytical characters, the necessity to apply a widen set of indicators to solve both analytical and managerial tasks is obvious. The innovation strategies developed by EC are also considered here, and the key indicators of major strategies are offered.

Altitude and temperature dependences of inhomogeneous substance heat capacity have been studied in the gravitational field of the Earth in the vicinity of critical point on the basis of the fluctuation theory of phase transitions and the theory of gravitational effect. The obtained data prove non-monotonous field and temperature dependences of heat capacity of spatially inhomogeneous substance that is supported by experimental research of heat capacity in macro and confined systems under terrestrial conditions and at space flight microgravitation.

Thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity coefficients of liquid indium have been determined in the range of temperatures from 470 to 1275 K by the laser flash method. Errors of heat transfer coefficients are ±(3.5−5) %. Approximating equations and tables of reference data have been developed for temperature dependence of properties. Measurement results have been compared with the data available in the literature. Temperature dependence of Lorentz number has been calculated up to 1000 K.

Based on the classical concept of atomic motion and the Goodman and Wachman lattice theory, we have developed a computer program to model the equilibrium and non-equilibrium scattering of helium atoms by 3D tungsten crystal lattice with allowance for adsorption surface coating. Within the concept of energy accommodation coefficient, we have calculated the rate of molecular heat transfer of helium to clean tungsten surface or to tungsten surface partially covered with an adsorbate. The calculations were performed for various surface temperatures. The calculated dependences were compared to test data obtained in experiments with surfaces controlled in terms of their chemical composition. Within the developed approach, the simulations proved capable of providing an adequate description to experimental data obtained for the equilibrium energy accommodation coefficient on the clean surface, and also for the non-equilibrium energy accommodation coefficient for the surface partially covered with adsorbate.

A new statement and the numerical solution of the problem of the peat layer firing as a result of the effect of the surface fire is given on the basis of a mathematical model of a porous reacting medium. The original reagent smoldering at moderate temperatures (Т_{1 ≤ 750 K) is found to be determined by the processes of heat and mass exchange with the forest fire source, peat drying and pyrolysis, reaction of the carbon oxide oxidation, thermophysical characteristics, and the peat height as well as by the thickness of the water layer under the peat layer.}