Acute-angled wedge-like morphostructures of the Cental Asian mountain belt

Abstract

Geometry of acute-angled wedge-like morphostructures (AWM) of the Central Asian mountain belt is discussed, systems of AWM are identified and analyzed, including those arranged in pairs (mountains - basins), triangular and quadrangular in shape, and discontinuous. Three morphological types of AWM are distinguished: mountains - plains, mountains - mountains and plains - plains. The authors suggest that AWM are formed in the compression field of colliding Eurasian and Indostan lithospheric plates due to active lateral thrusts. In their opinion, the studies of orographic pattern of the Central Asian mountains may contribute considerably to development of dynamic model of the region's morphostructure.