Glacio-isostatic swells are outlined which developed during the last stages of the Valdai glaciations round the periphery of the European ice sheets. Their axial zones have been proved to match to location of oil and gas deposits within the Central European oil field. A possibility is considered of the swells control over oil and gas deposits distribution, practical conclusions are drawn.

At the highest levels of the mega-relief organisation its symmetry amounts to the following: repeated antisymmetry of the genetic triad of relief, antisymmetry of hypsometric triad, antisymmetry of continental and oceanic hemispheres, conical and bi-lateral symmetry of the Laurasian continental projection, translation of similarity of the Gondwana:s continents and subcontinents, bi-lateral symmetry Of oceans. Main elements of the dissymmetry of the Earth mega-reliefs structure are the following: transitional zone between continent and ocean and the area of oceanic mountains in western Pacific, North Atlantic basin, including Greenland, epigeosynclinal mountain belt of the Andes together with the region of the Sea of Scotia and South Antillan island arc.

Structure of the planetary morphogenesis is characterized by two co-existing trends: continents growth and oceans spreading with the non-uniform expansion of the Earth in the background. This situation is typical of the last mega-stage of the tectonic morphogenesis which embraces the Late Mesozoic and Cenozoic time.

An efficient geomorphological meta-theory may be based on two assumptions: triunity of the Earth's surface topography and types of morphogenesis, principle of freedom of geomorphologic explanations.

A new geomorphological - method of search for kimberlitic bodies (diatremes) is developed by the author on the basis of analysis of almost all existing techniques. The author distinguishes different ranks of morphostructures: province, `zone, region, field, individual diatreme. Subjects of studies are defined according to the rank of the morphostructure in question, the technique being also specified for each rank. Special attention is paid to research on the level of region and field (local forecasting).

The technogenous action on slopes of the western part of the Southern Crimean coast has been classified into types according to geometric parameters and intensity. Its importance is analysed for changes in natural conditions of the slopes formation. Probable future evolution of the slopes morphodynamic characteristics is considered in case of different kinds of technogenous impact in the course of the region's development.

Observations of 55 gullies in Northen Kazakhstan were used as a basis of a new method developed to evaluate the rate of various kinds of erosion (lateral erosion, downcutting, backward erosion). The procedure includes a series of one-time measurements of the gully's depth and width equally spaced from the head towards mouth of the gully. Coefficients and their combinations are introduced to calculate a contribution of each kind of erosion to the general process of gully formation.

Examples of measured and calculated rates of geologic-geomorphic processes demonstrate that estimated rates usually decrease while the time intervals between measurements increase. It is shown that such a relation is inevitable in conditions of inadequate information and complicated oscillative-progressive charachter of the natural process. Rate estimates approximate mean value when time interval increases. The term «fiducial time» is proposed for the time period long enough to make an estimated rate equal to the mean rate with high probability born in mind in advance. The ideas proposed are exemplified by data on rates of horizontal migration of shoreline in one of the White Sea tidal bays. In is proved that in order to calculate the mean multi-year rate of this process one should have a statistically significant series of shoreline position estimate for 7 to 10 years.

The system modeling in the slopes' geomorphology developed by F. Ahnert is a synthesis of fundamentals of the geosystems paradigm, general principles of geo- and morphosystems (morpholithosystems) modeling and a system of models of exogenic and endogenic relief formation which is now in the process of development. On the basis of this approach F. Ahnert constructed a spatial model which presented the processes differentiation as a system of «process – response» type, which can include not only a single element of slope relief, but any drainage basin as a whole or any other area organized in a structural entity.

Slope processes and their manifestations are discussed which are typical of various orographic zones. A loose material mantle on slopes is rather thin, which the author attributes to the young age of the slopes and to the fact that products of weathering are continuously removed from steep slopes by mud and debris flows. On many lava slopes (especially on those composed of block lavas) the loose mantle is now at initial stages of development, the process being hindered by a relative aridity of the region.

New data are presented on the western slope of the Big Kuril Ridge (facing the Sea of Okhotsk) near the Iturup Island. Morphology of 8 submarine volcanoes is discussed in detail, the volcanoes with pronounced flat tors are suggested to classify as guyots of island arcs. They are supposed to form completely or partly above the sea level and later to submerge, their tops being eroded by waves.

Hypsometric analysis of planation surfaces on the volcanoes indicates recent regional subsidence of the sea floor west of the Big Kuril Ridge and therefore a relatively young age of the Southern Okhotsk deep-sea basin.

Morphology is discussed of a system of incised meanders developed in the upper reaches of the Amur river (so called Korsakovsky Krivuny). Studies of both meanders and the valley topography at this place indicate a strong influence of tectonic tilted blocks which controls the location, structure and evolution of the meanders. This influence accounts for the development of all terraces (floodplain included) on one side of the valley within each segment.

On the basis of his prolonged field works and ample literature the author discusses Pre-Quaternary and Quaternary evolution of the relief and main tectonic structures within the region, which is almost unknown to the Soviet reader. Geomorphological evidences are given for the planation surfaces having been formed at high levels and age of the surf aces is speculated, a sequence of upwarping and thrust-sheet structures formation is established, as well as alternation of tectonic activity and relative quiescence, rate and amplitudes of vertical and horizontal displacements are determined. Main topographic characteristics and stages of evolution of the region-are compared with those of adjacent regions (the Himalaya, Pamir and Tibet).

Experiments have been carried out to study mechanisms of formation and transformation of the surface runoff and soil erosion during spring Hood within landscapes of adjoining urban and rural areas. The hydrological systems functioning within typical urban and agricultural complexes appeared to be inhomogeneous in the years with cyclonic and anticyclonic regimes of the spring flood.

Transient Upper Cretaceous stabilization led to formation of a quasi-platformian basement on the surface of which the palaeoalpine relief of the Central Western Carpathians was formed. Slightly dissected relief developed during the Palaeoalpine period towards an advanced stage of planation which was documented especially by character of Palaeoalpine molasses, weathering crusts and the character of Paleogene basal transgressive lithofacies covering the surface of the basement. Giving to a large distribution of limestones and dolomites in the basement karst processes dominated during the exogenetic modeling of the Central Western Carpathians in the Palaeoalpine period.

According to the results of morphostructural anslysis, the Lesser Carpathians are a morphostructure of h o s t type placed between two negative morphostructur (those of Danude and Zagorsk lowlands). Lesser Carpathian horst is subdivided into morphostructural units of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd rank which are individual horsts, grabens or asymmetric step-like uplifts. The horst of the Lesser Carpathians began to rise above the adjacent lowlands alter Pannonian stage due to Rhodanian tectonic movements. The movements were highly differentiated, their amplitude between 100 and 300 m, as indicated by deformations of plateau surf ace (which is relict of the Pannonian planation surf ace). Movements of the younger Valachian phase which continued well into the Quaternary were less differentiated and resulted in the whole horst uplift by 100 to 160 m. The uplifts proceeded under conditions of dense network of faults dominated by those of longitudinal (SW to NE) and transversal (NW to SE) direction. Some of the fault-lines are distinctly seismic-active.

К 70-летию Александра Петровича Рождественского