Nonlinear character of relief-forming processes in sutural zones

Abstract

Principal evidences for non-linear character of relief-forming processes are considered as follows: relief formation factors being out of proportion to their geomorphic manifestation; pulsating, non-stationary character of the processes, with dramatic changes in their rate; stochasticity and unpredictability of the evolutionary trends, sharp changes in slope and topographic asymmetry, gravitational instability, avalanche effects, turbulence and wave chaos. Most common cause for non-linearity is transition from orderly pattern to chaos resulting from spontaneous evolution or due to external impact both for relief-forming processes and geomorphic structures.