The Geological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (GIN RAS; Russian: Геологический институт РАН, full name: Federal State Budgetary Institution of Science Geological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences) is a scientific institution of the Russian Academy of Sciences focusing on general theoretical and fundamental problems in the geological sciences. The main research areas of the institute are tectonics, lithology, stratigraphy, and Quaternary geology.
By the end of 2020, GIN RAS had 247 research staff, including 99 Candidates of Science and 56 Doctors of Science. The Institute employed 3 Corresponding Members, 3 Academicians of the RAS, and 5 Honored Scientists of the Russian Federation.
Contents
Main research areas
Global and regional stratigraphic schemes based on a complex of methods.
Isotope geochemistry of sedimentary rocks and chemostratigraphy.
Interaction of geological, geochemical, and biotic factors during sedimentogenesis.
Features of sedimentogenesis and lithogenesis in structures of various types.
Tectonic and geodynamic models of the formation and evolution of the Earth's lithosphere and the main types of continental and oceanic structures.
Neotectonics and modern geodynamics as a basis for forecasting natural and man-made disasters.
Intraplate tectonics and geodynamics, evolution of the consolidated crust.
Geology of the World Ocean floor.
Sedimentary basins: structure, evolution, primary and secondary concentrations of mineral resources; modeling.
Global correlations and models of geological processes and events, directional changes and the role of rapid changes and catastrophes in Earth's history.
Paleoclimates of the Late Precambrian – Phanerozoic: evolution of zonality, dynamics, consequences of climatic changes.
Interaction in the biota – geological environment – tectonics – climate – ore formation system during key epochs of geological history and biosphere history.
Geology and metallogeny of the Arctic (since 2024).
History
Geological Institute (1930–1937)
On January 12, 1929, major elections of new academicians were held at the USSR Academy of Sciences.
On May 15, 1929, the General Assembly of the USSR Academy of Sciences heard a report by Academician A. A. Borisyak on the fundamental reorganization of the Geological Museum of the USSR Academy of Sciences in Leningrad with the aim of creating several institutes on its basis.
On March 8, 1930, the Geological Museum was divided into three independent institutes, forming:
Geological Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences (GIN USSR Academy of Sciences)
Paleozoological Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences (PIN USSR Academy of Sciences)
Petrographic Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences (PETRIN USSR Academy of Sciences)
The first director of the Geological Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences in Leningrad was elected at a meeting of the Department of Physical and Mathematical Sciences of the USSR Academy of Sciences: Academician V. A. Obruchev (April 3, 1930), approved in this position by the General Assembly of the USSR Academy of Sciences. S. A. Gatuev was appointed deputy director.
The tasks of the new institute included:
Geological study of the USSR and adjacent countries.
Development of stratigraphy issues.
Study of modern marine sediments.
Development of comparative lithology issues.
Compilation of summary works on the geology of the USSR.
Institute of Geological Sciences (1937–1956)
On November 17, 1937, after the 17th session of the International Geological Congress in Moscow, the SNK USSR (according to the Third Five-Year Plan) decided to reorganize geological institutions within the USSR Academy of Sciences. In December 1937, the following were merged into the Institute of Geological Sciences of the USSR Academy of Sciences (IGN USSR Academy of Sciences or "GIN"):
Geological Institute
Petrographic Institute
Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy, and Crystallography named after M.V. Lomonosov
The Mineralogical Museum and the Geological Museum were also merged into the "Geological Museum named after A. P. Karpinsky," as a department within the Institute of Geological Sciences..
The united institute began working in 4 main areas:
Compiling a general summary of works on the stratigraphy of the entire territory of the USSR, and studying the stratigraphy of important economic regions.
Simultaneous study of the constituent sedimentary rocks.
Study of tectonic processes and clarification of the connection with geological structure and mineral resources. Study of the history of the geological development of the territory of the USSR as a whole and of individual parts interesting for understanding the basic patterns of the geological process.
Providing a deep scientific basis for the methodology of prospecting and exploration of mineral resources based on the study of geological conditions favorable for the concentration of mineralization.
In the early 1950s (in the modern building of GIN RAS), a new structure of the IGN USSR Academy of Sciences was formed.
Geological Institute (since 1956)
On April 27, 1944, the Presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences recognized the need to reorganize the Institute of Geological Sciences, creating on its basis, within the Department of Geological and Geographical Sciences of the USSR Academy of Sciences:
Geological Institute
Institute of Mineralogy and Geochemistry named after M.V. Lomonosov
Institute of Petrographic Research named after F.Yu. Levinson-Lessing
Institute of Ore Deposits
Laboratory of Coal Geology.
To consider the issue of organizing work on the study of the Precambrian.
In 1946, it was decided to organize the Geological Institute on the basis of several divisions of the IGN USSR Academy of Sciences:
Department of Stratigraphy
Department of Tectonics
Department of Lithology
Department of Quaternary Geology.
On January 13, 1956, the Presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences approved the new name and structure of the Geological Institute (GIN USSR Academy of Sciences):
Directorate
Academic Council of the Institute
Department of Stratigraphy (with Microfaunal Laboratory) – Head V. V. Menner.
Institute Awards
1969 — Order of the Red Banner of Labour, for successes in the development of geological science and the training of highly qualified scientific personnel.
1972 — Jubilee Honorary Badge in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the formation of the USSR, for achieving the highest results in the All-Union Socialist Competition in commemoration of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the formation of the USSR.
1999 – Certificate of Honor to the team of GIN RAS from the Ministry of Science and Technologies of the Russian Federation, for great contribution to the development of national science and on the occasion of the 275th anniversary of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Leadership
The first director of the Geological Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences, then located in Leningrad, was Academician V. A. Obruchev, elected to this post on April 3, 1930, at a meeting of the Department of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, and approved in this position by the General Assembly of the USSR Academy of Sciences. At his personal request, on October 20, 1933, the Presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences relieved V. A. Obruchev of the post of director of the Geological Institute and entrusted the temporary performance of these duties to Academician A. A. Borisyak; his deputy became D. V. Nalivkin, who remained in this post until July 1934, and the scientific secretary of the Institute became I. I. Katushenok.
Immediately after the decree of the Sovnarkom of the USSR on April 25, 1934, on the move of academic institutes to the capital, Academician A. D. Arkhangelsky was elected director, V. N. Mikhnevich was appointed his deputy, and F. A. Makarenko became the scientific secretary.
The Sovnarkom of the USSR on November 17, 1937, decided to reorganize the geological institutions of the USSR Academy of Sciences. In December 1937, the Geological and Petrographic Institutes merged with the Institute of Geochemistry and Mineralogy named after M.V. Lomonosov. As a result, the Institute of Geological Sciences of the USSR Academy of Sciences (IGN) was formed, and A. D. Arkhangelsky was elected its director. His deputies became I. F. Grigoriev, S. A. Kashin, and A. A. Blokhin, who held this position until 1940, and the scientific secretary of the institute was G. A. Mirlin.
In January 1939, A. D. Arkhangelsky, at his personal request due to a sharp deterioration in health, was relieved of the post of director of the IGN USSR Academy of Sciences. He was succeeded by Academician A. N. Zavaritsky, and in 1941, Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences I. F. Grigoriev became director.
Directors of GIN and IGN USSR Academy of Sciences (and deputy directors for scientific work), by year of appointment:
1930 — Vladimir A. Obruchev from April 3, 1930 (S. A. Gatuev)
Modern structure
The Geological Institute includes:
Department of Stratigraphy
Department of Lithology
As well as:
Group of the History of Geology
Group of the Tectonic Map.
Members of the RAS
Among the staff and members of the Academic Council:
Scientific publications
Publications associated with GIN RAS:
Proceedings of the Geological Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences and RAS
Stratigraphy and Geological Correlation
Geotectonics
Lithology and Mineral Resources
Bulletin of the Commission for the Study of the Quaternary Period
Geological Study of the USSR
Essays on the History of Geological Knowledge
Memory
In 1999, a memorial plaque "In Memory of the Outstanding Geologists of the Geological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences" was installed on the facade of the building.