The Morphostructure of the Southern Part of the Zaisan Basin and its Mountain Surroundings

The morphostructural analysis of Zaisan depression and its surrounding mountain area has been based on field geomorphological and structural researches and the study of the newest high quality remote-sensing data. The morphostructural zoning has resulted in distinguishing a series of latitudinal linear arched fault and transverse block structures, complicating them. The analysis of planation surface deformations and correlative sediments as well as studying of relief-forming faults kinematics have allowed us to reconstruct the history of the Cenozoiс relief development. The depression began its latest stage of development in the Paleocene, however, the Mio-Pliocene acceleration of its subsidence was verified. It was expressed in accumulation during this time of more than a half of the total Cenozoic sedimentary fill. Dextral displacements along the Tarbagatai and Manrak-Saur fault zones were found. In their southeastern periphery, the thrust compensation for the strike-slip faults was caused by the acceleration of the Tarbagatai and Saur uplifts during the Pliocene-Quaternary. The kinematic type of certain faults was determined, the amplitudes of neotectonic uplift and horizontal displacements along them were estimated.

morphostructural analysis, neotectonics, history of relief development, remote sensing, Zaisan depression, Saur-Tarbagatai Ridge

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