Large features of the Great Caucasus rnorphostructure have been compared with data available on plates and microplates movements within the Caucasus region. Special technique of morphostructural subdivision was used to outline areal units of different rank (blocks) and linear zones delineating them (morphostructural lineaments). Morphostructural homogeneity and isolation of the blocks are controlled by geodynamic conditions. Asymmetric mountain slopes are ascertained to be formed under conditions of unidirectional compressive forces, various topographic types and elements being combined in overthrust and underthrust structures. Bilateral compression accounts for the symmetrical mountain slopes of the Great Caucasus.

Present structure of small flat-bottom valleys («Balkas») reflect s o r e features of their evolution. Majority of balkas at the Central Chernozemic and adjacent regions keep some traces of periglacial relief-forming processes which acted during several cold phases of the Pleistocene. Balkas of Holocene age are conspicuously different in morphology. As balkas contained no permanent flow, their evolution during the Pleistocene and the Holocene was somewhat different from that of river valleys.

Two large regions are established within the limits of continental platforms, differing in Quaternary marine terraces topography (buriec or exposed) and in shelfs' structure. The first region includes areas of maximum Pleistocene glaciation, the second region - unglaciated areas. The present-day topographic features of both regions are controlled to a considerable degree by the lithospheric deformations during the Pleistocene: downwarping within the first region (amplitude up to 600 meters) and uplift within the second one (amplitude from a few meters up to 140 meters). Probable mechanism of the deformation is discussed in connection with global impact of isostasy on the Earth structure evolution during the Pleistocene.

River valleys of Eocene age are described within the limits of Shoindykul Basin (western Kazakn shield) which contain bauxite ores. Ancient gullies and small valleys are filled with red beds of ephemeral streams alluvium, mostly of bauxite composition. Valleys 500 to 1600 meters wide are filled with proper alluvium consisting of bauxite gravels, cross-bedded quartz clayey sands as well as with sheet-wash slope deposits, Within large valleys (2 to 3 kilometers wide) alluvium section includes two distinct members: lower member consists of cross-bedded coarse quartz sands, upper member mostly consists of horizontal layers of thin sands including large lenses and strata of kaolinite refractory clays.

Bauxite deposits types depend on the paleo-topographic position: sheet deposits on low flat interfluves, linear dipping bodies on slopes of paleo-valleys, ribbon-like deposits within gullies and small valleys and lenticular deposits forming separate bodies at the base of alluvium in valleys up to 1 kilometer wide.

A map of gullies distribution has been compiled for Belgorod region on the basis of studies undertaken, 5 types of areas being established different in gullies density. Quantitative parameter has been obtained which reveals natural and anthropogenous factors impact on gully dissection of and area. 5 factors have been established which determine spatial differentiation of gullies density, relative importance of each factor being defined for each type of areas. The main reason of the areas types separation appeared to be variation in forested area percentage, mean slope and spring discharge. Taking into account the regional natural features the factors combination has been identified which presents most serious gully erosion hazard.

A correlation is analysed between strength characteristics of solid rocks and selective weathering processes, field observation data being used from an alpine area in Central Tier-Shan. Geological and geomorphological survey revealed coincidence of lithornorphic landform boundaries (i, e. cirque walls bases), petrographic contacts and ore zones. The cause of the coincidence is concluded to be selective character of the denudation and ore formation, both processes making use of weak zones in rocks.

The paper discusses mass movement influence on morphological and chemical properties of soils. The mass movements: 1) provide homogeneity of parent material under conditions of complicate geological structure, 2) f acilitate the mineral mass weathering which accounts for difference in the chemical composition between slope formations and solid rocks; 3) control the vertical differentiation of soil profile (defluction permits the morphological differentiation of soil, slow solifluction determines a homogenous brown soil profile which is given an informal name «creepozem»), 4) mass movements on slopes influence the long-existing (conservative) properties (morphology, general chemical composition) while more dynamic characteristics (humus, pH, absorbed bases) have time to differentiate even under relatively «high» rate of the mass movement.

Morphological and geological traces of catastrophic floods are identified in valleys and watersheds morphology at the SE Altai, the floods are believed due to both catastrophic breaks through glacial lakes dams and to flow over watersheds. Landforms and sediments resulted from the floods are described, such as giant ripples, point-bars, bouder bars, terraces, evorsion holes, canyons etc., the features named by th author «Catastrophic-fluvial». The author once more suggsets the catastrophic discharge of proglacial lakes from Chuyskaya and Kuraiskaya basins, the floods had been traced into the Bashkaus valley. The catastrophic floods under consideration were not typical mudflows Judging from the landforms and deposits, the streams resembled giant «rivers» which transported and deposited their load according to usual laws of mountain rivers channel dymanics. The catastrophic floods due to ice-dammed lakes discharge are emphasized to be not unique events, but an important relief-forming f actor in glaciated mountains in the past.

The deepening of denudation hollows in the Khibini Mountains (Kola Peninsula) y rockfalls, snow avalanches and rnudflows during the Holocene amounts to 0.5-2.0 meters. Each of the processes of debris transport prevails within certain limits of slope steepness. The radiocarbon age of soil buried in a debris coneindicates the rate of denudation during the early postglacial (0.7 mm per year) exceeded the rate during the Little Ice Age (0.2 mm per year)

The Southern Shetland Islands belong to the oceanic geocryological zone of Antarctic. One of largest islands of the archipelago is King George Island which presents variety landforms of cryogenic-denudational, rival, solifluction and cryostructural types. A distinct pattern can be discerned in the landforms distribution which is controlled: by geomorphology, climate and geocryological features of the island. Most typical for the island cryogenic landforms are described, such as cryogenic-denudational and solifluction terraces, privation cirques, sorted polygons and circles and linear microiormsi due to frost heaving at slopes.

Morphological features of a small river channel (with special reference to the Yug River) are discussed together with channel deformations pattern controlled by physicalgeographic and geological-geomorphic conditions. Channel configuration and bed forms are shown to be connected with conditions during the channel-forming discharges. Bedload volume increases downstreams which changes correlation between channel-forming discharges and related channel configurations and bed forms. In the upper reaches of the river both incised and free meanders are characterised with similar morphology, which suggests their common origin and connection with present-day hydrology. Downst-reams the two types of meanders are not related which reflects different conditions of the channel formation, the river discharge being then essentially different from the present one.

Many factors account for direct, inverse or intermediate topographic manifestation of local elevations of sedimentary mantle within the lower Volga region. The tendency to form direct or inverse landforms depends firstly on neotectonic regime of structures, distance from large river systems as well as on relief-forming rocks lithology. Degree of topographic manifestation of structures depends on folds size. Most local structures at the right bank of lower Volga River formed inverse landforms during the Pleistocene.

A new technique is developed in order to obtain quantitative estimation of sheet wash value in arid regions using debris surplus at the surface. Two modifications of the technique are elaborated both for horizontal surfaces and for slopes of various steepness. The technique permits to estimate the denudation values for large time intervals (such as the duration of the surface existence). The technique can also be used for detailed studies of the slope transport mechanism of various fractions of debris.

Orogenic planation surfaces at the Great Caucasus may be correlated according to their altitude and age. A superposed series of longitudinal profiles reveals planation surface system which seems to be related to base level oscillation during transgressive stages of the Pont-Caspian basin. The present position of the planation surfaces resulted from the arch-block upwarping of the Great Caucasus, the neotectonic movement of the area demonstrates decaying cyclicity. An importance is noted of river terraces and ancient glaciers in the planation surfaces formation.

Методы математико-картографического моделирования в геоморфологии - монография M. Koneény. Antropogenni transformace reliéfy: kartoga5cké matematicko-kartografické modeiy (Univ. J. Purkyné Brno. Folia fac. sci. iatur. univ. Purkymanae Brunensis, 1983, V. XXIV, № 10. 148 S.)

Теоретические и прикладные аспекты эрозионных и русловых исследований - монография "Эрозионные процессы (географическая наука практике)", М.: Мысль, 1984. 253 с.