Russian-Chinese Lake Baikal Expedition Wraps Up at Irkutsk Polytechnic
Irkutsk Polytechnic has presented the results of its Baikal – Zhemchuzhina mira (Baikal – Pearl of the World) expedition with Chinese universities, which brought together more than 40 researchers and students.
The project involved teams from Irkutsk National Research Technical University and three Chinese institutions — Nanjing University, Nanjing Normal University, and Hohai University. The teams studied the geological, hydrological, and environmental geochemical characteristics of the Lake Baikal natural area. They focused particularly on monitoring the Lake Baikal–Angara River–Irkutsk Reservoir system: each year, researchers collect water samples at more than 40 sites across Lake Baikal and 80 along the Angara River to track ecosystem conditions and detect pollution.
Alexander Parshin, Vice Rector of Irkutsk National Research Technical University, said the data will form the basis of an open database of the lake's hydrogeochemical indicators.
Students presented findings from their research, including an assessment of the Baikal Rift Zone using machine learning. The project began in 2008.
