The northern flank of the extensive Alpine geosynclinal system (Tethys), called in general Paratethys, went through several large-scale tectonic epochs. The paper gives evidences of the continuously erogenous character of the topography within the limits of the Crimean-Caucasian and Central-Asian segments of the Paratethys; the mountains arose from epi-geosynclinal orogenesis and were maintained by numerous subseqwent tectonic phases coming from the Tethys system. The methodical deficiency is emphasized which is characteristic to the popular notion of neotectonic distortions of the so-called pre-orogenous planation surface being the basis of the relief of the Crimea, Caucasus and most of the Central Asia mountains.

Pre-Quaternary morphostructure and morphosculpture of North Atlantic and adjacent arctic shelves are described using analysis of sea-floor drilling, seismic profiles, sea-floor topography mapping and other geological data. The author discusses various kinds of plains including socle, built-up, structural and basaltic ones. Cuesta system on shelves is the roust outstanding formation of the type all over the world. Intra-shelf celesta ridges could correspond to the Cretaceous-Lower Paleogene stratigraphic break within the sedimentary cover.

A technique of alluviation rate estimation has been developed as a result of archeological and geomorphological studies carried out at archeological sites at the middle Oka floodplain dated from Early Neolithic to the Middle Ages. The technique is based on the alluvium faces analysis and the principal f acres dating according to the archeology. Alluviation rates at different stages of the floodplain formations were evaluated and the general type of alluviation during the Late Holocene was determined.

A method of formal description of river systems' structure is introduced, which is based on the stream order and position relative to other elements of the drainage network. Mathematical and statistic techniques are used to analyze the structural control of the valley floor profiles and to reveal the most important morphometric parameters. The relief-forming processes are proved to differ in rate and sometimes in direction within drainage basins which take different position in fluvial geomorphic structure.

Value of denudation due to avalanches at the Northern Baikal region estimated by debris content in avalanche cones has been proved to depend considerably on geological conditions. If solid rock desintegrates into small pieces the denudation rate in avalanch troughs reaches 0,31 mm. per year, the value being more than by an order magnitude than the same value at the rocks forming large blocks in the weathering process (0,0l mm per year). The data for the North Baikal region are in good agreement with most data for other mountain regions of the USSR.

Remnants of ancient (Mesozoic) buried planation surfaces give evidence of the early erosion stages at the North-Western Alpes. Stream pattern changes took place at Oligocene, the single system being divided into rivers of the Central Massif and Pre-Alpes. During the Quaternary the old glaciers activity was most important. Most pronounced were changes within the northern part of the «Alpine trough» adjacent to the Mont Blanc. Climatic variations were of importance during the post glacial, especially for morphogenesis in the high mountain zone.

According to the structural-geomorphic subdivision of the SE shelf of Cuba and adjacent parts of the island itself two regions were identified: Cuban fold-block structure and Caiman geoanticlinal zone. The Cuban structure is subdivided into Central Cuban uplift zone, South Cuban trough zone and marginal uplift zone of the southern shelf, the Caiman zone is divided into Manzanillo-Guantanamo trough zone and Sierro-Maestra anticlinorium. The boundary of the regions in its western part coincides with large fault revealed by seismo-acustic profiling. 37 structures of medium and small size have been identified, regions are outlined which can be of interest for oil and gas prospecting.

The paper describes morphological manifestations of tectonic structure within the marginal plunge zone at the NW Great Caucasus. Neotectonic movements are shown to control the relief formation. Morphometric analysis contributed to knowledge of regional tectonic structure. The evolution of river valleys and the Black Sea coastline proved to be determined by sub-latitudinal and sub-meridional fault zones system.

Analysis of morphology of this most complicated coastal structure of the eastern Soviet Arctic showed that it is not an accumulative marine form, but a heterogeneous formation resulted from recent ingression into Iacustrine-alluvial plain. The lagoon's frame consists of relics of the continental Upper Pleistocene series, the inherited lagoon's forms are of the Holocene age, the marine built-up forms are not younger than 4000 years and have already been eroded for the last 1500 years (not more). Thus transgressions -have never exceeded the present sea level here.

A large orographic unit - Shakhunsky Uvaly - is known in NE Gorki region, within the Vetluga drainage basin. By hypsometric position, relief and geology of the unit it can be considered as a series of remnants of planation surface, dominating at present the northern Privolzhskaya upland, earlier it spread further northward. The Vetluga region morphostructure reflects consequent stages of the structural-tectonic evolution. The Shakhunsky Uvaly is formed long before the Dnieper Ice Age. During the whole Cenozoic it controlled the spatial distribution of the morphosculptural elements, including pre-glacial, glacial and post-glacial forms.

The present-day relief has been greatly influenced by sheet wash and solifluction processes under periglacial conditions, the solifluction having been most important for slopes and fluvial terraces modeling at the Central Chernozem region. The sheet wash significance increased towards the ends of periglacial stages as well as from older to younger periglacial stages, which is also manifested in recent topography.

On the basis of glacial erosion landforms and hypsometric position of glacial deposits of different age 5 Pleistocene glaciations were identified at the Central Kolyma Upland, glaciers thickness and length having been estimated. Younger glaciations are established to be of valley type, older ones - to be semi-ice sheets and ice sheets type. Height of the lower limit of the glaciers' alimentation zone during the 5 ice ages were 1600-1850, 1400-1600, 1350-1450, 1100-1400 and 850-950 meters respectively.

Vladimir Aleksandrovich Nikolaev (to the 70th birthday)

Oceans' coasts and humanity

A book on types of the Earth's relief: Demek, J. Zemcm. Typy reliéfu Zemé. Academia, Praha. 1979. 327 C. 

Boris Aleksandrovich Fedorovich (an obituary)