Field work in Tuva, Central Asia, 1997


The working area is located in Siberia, Central Asia, and belongs to the Russian Autonomous Republic of Tuva which borders directly to Mongolia in the South.

The investigated ophiolite is part of the giant Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAMB) which was formed during Palaeozoic times by subduction-accretion. This orogen covers around 5.3 million square kilometers, corresponding to about 12 % of the present day's surface of Asia, or about 3.5 % of the present day's solid surface of the earth.

Field work was carried out in July and August in 1997, together with Russian colleagues from St. Petersburg and with Tuvinian colleagues from Kyzyl in Tuva. The following pictures may give some impressions on how field work looks like in Siberia.



Arrival at Kyzyl airport coming from Moscow. Kyzyl is the Capital of the Russian Autonomous Republic of Tuva. The aircraft is a YAK66, similar but smaller than the widely used Tupolew TU154

A typical landscape in Central Asia. The lorry in the foreground was our expedition vehicle
 
 


One of the major advantages of using a lorry instead of a conventional off-road car is the possibilty to cross relatively deep rivers which appear suddenly after heavy rain

Working in the Karachat area, a gabbroic intrusion which is part of the ophiolite. From the left: A. Kröner, W. Todt, unknown, A. Kotov, V. Kovac, C. Oidup
 


One of our campsites. Although looking very lovely, the place was like hell due to millions of moskitos waiting to kill you

The sampe place after a heavy thunderstoorm that destroyed two of our tents. After that, we left the lovely place


A petrol station in the middle of nowhere. Most of the time, there was either no petrol, or no electricity for the pumps

Our campsite close to Erzin, a small village not far away from the border to Mongolia
 


The most popular food in Asia is Mutton. Here, our driver is preparing the food for the next days.
 


Cooking mutton...

Car repairing...