The continental slope is a planetary morphostructure of the World Ocean floor, part of the submerged continental margin which forms topographic and structural boundary between continental Uplifts and the ocean floor, its area is about 24,6 mln. sq. km. It is typical of so called passive continental margins (it is worth mentioning however that the widely used division of continental margins into passive and active ones seems contestable as the former are far from being tectonically passive while the latter are usually recent geosynclinal zones and not continental margins at all).

The continental slope evolution is closely connected with the continental rise but unlike the latter its base is formed by continental earthcrust, it is part of continental terrace. According to their origin, continental slopes are proposed to divide into tectonic accretion, tectonic fault, tectonic rift, accumulative accretion, accumulative coral reef. Even accumulative accretional slopes are steep due to erosional processes which are typical of continental slopes.

A notion of morphological sequence is introduced to designate regular spatial groups of landforms. Initial principles are discussed used to establish morphological sequences within constructive and destructive topography. The sequences are supposed to present particular cases of the common law of the morphological sequence. Three main types of geomorphological correlation are discussed. The importance is emphasized of spatial groups of landforms correlation while morphological sequences are being preliminary established.

A new definition of the notion of relief by O. G. Tokarsky and V. P. Filosofov (Geomorphology, 1985, No. 2) is analysed in the paper. Some main aspects of the notion and difficulties in its definition are briefly discussed. The authors believe that any definition of this notion should preserve its initial meaning based on everyday experience.

System approach in geomorphology is a special method of research and an independent branch of the geomorphological theory which has for an object the investigations into the very mechanism of the relief evolution on the basis of up-to-date concepts of the development. The fulfillment of the task requires to outline a certain entity (system) and to define its surrounding (i. e. a system of higher order).

A new technique is developed for identification of river terraces tectonic deformations using parameter:

α=(∆H₁-∆H₂):L,

where ∆H₁- difference in levels of two terraces at cross-section l, ∆H₂- the same terraces levels dofference at cross-section 2, L -distance between the cross-sections 1 and 2. The α value is demonstrated to be independent from both hydrological and lithological factors and to reflect the degree of tectonic movements differentiation. The technique proposed permits to characterise quantitatively the tectonic movements and to compare the results obtained for terraces of the same age not only within one valley but in different valleys as well. The technique application is illustrated using examples from the Malka valley (Mineralnye Vody region, North Caucasus).

5 main stages of relief-formation due to tectonics are distinguished: Paleocene – Eocene, Oligocene- Late Miocene, (Pre-Meotian), Late Miocene (Meotian) -Middle Pliocene, Late Pliocene-Pleistocene, and each stage being completed with formation of circum-mountain polygenetic planation surface and weathering crust formation. The crust formations analysis confirmed the idea that the planation process within the mountain part of the region took place in Middle Pliocene, Late and Middle Miocene, Eocene and before the Paleocene. The weathering crusts formations are correlated with regional topographic steps revealed by geomorphological analysis, lower steps being directly fixed by weathering crusts.

Statistic analysis of landslides arcs curvature radius and coefficient reveals prevalence of active landslides (curvature radius about 50 to 70 m) and stabilized ones (curvature radius 100 to 200 m). Curvature coefficient in most of landslide arcs shows three distinct maxima: 0.3, 0.6 and 1.0. Active landslides mostly develop at slope angles 10 to 12^o.

Active / stabilized landslides ratio at slopes of different orientation indicates the active forms being concentrated on W and E facing slopes, on those slopes arcs of considerable curvature are prevalent, while small curvature arcs show noticeable concentration on N and S facing slopes.

Clusters of karst and suffusion landforms are proved to be confined to deep fault zones and their cross-sections. The karst and suffusion landforms distribution may be used as an indicator of tectonic faults. Some deep faults position has been specified within the limits of the Terek-Kuma lowland using the technique.

Palynological studies together with radiocarbon dating of the deposits in sinkholes permit to reconstruct paleogeographic conditions during various periods of the Holocene in the lower reaches of the Oka River. The Holocene karst is shown to be controlled by paleoenvironments.

Studies of the topography modeled by the Moscow ice sheet revealed its primary features being rather well preserved. It’s morphological and morphometric parameters distinctly differ from those of older (Dnieper) and younger (Valdai) ice ages.

Several types of landforms are identified within the limits of the Hokkaido-Sakhalin fold region, such as mountain ridges (subdivided into young- Pliocene- linear subparallel and more ancient-Cretaceous-Paleogene-rejuvenated during the Pliocene subtypes, the latter forming complicated dendrite systems). At the Hokkaido Island volcanogenic landforms are widespread and superimposed upon other types. Directions of geomorphic elements are mostly sub-longitudinal or NNW (Sakhalin) and gradually changes into NE and sub-latitudianl (Kurilian) trends near Hokkaido. Within the submerged part of the region the continental shelf is clearly seen (where most of the geomorphic elements identified at the land can be traced) and continental slope, densely dissected with submarine canyons.

The paper discusses the problem of active participation of granitoid intrusive bodies in the mountain relief formation. The granitoids form elevations in the SW Issyk-Kul region not because of the selective erosion (as it was previously assumed) but because of independent growth of the intrusions which is demonstrated using one of elevations in the region as an example, Selective growth of the intrusions was typical not only for the recent stage but for former stages as well. As the elevations which correspond to granitoid intrusions have an independent source of energy and their development is prolonged and inherited, they can be singled out as a special type of morphostructures by the name of plutogenous, intrusive or granitoid ones.

For the NW Caspian depression an interconnection is traced between the presentday and the Late Pliocene buried topography on one hand and the deep structures on the other, the connection resulted from the buried structures rejuvenation and inherited development. Regional morphostructural plan appeared to be radial-concentric. A prognostic map of sediments underlying salts has been compiled on the base of geological interpretation of morphostructural data, the tectonic structures of the region have been defined more precisely.

Some results are presented of the work on the Gydan and Taz peninsulas aimed to identification of local uplifts within the Quaternary marine sediments. The uplifts are proved to be directly connected with positive present-day landforms and mostly inherited from Mesozoic local structures, the latter containing deposits of gas and condensate. The data presented had been obtained during the geological survey of the area using both space images and aerial photoes of various scales.

The Bolshoi Balk fan ridge is the largest boundary morphostructure at the west Central Asia between epihercynian platform and the alpine fold belt. Morphostructural and neotectonic subdivision of the Bolshoi Balk fan megaanticline is based on the relief study and geological and geophysical analysis. Block movements are argued to be essential at the final stages of the morphostructure evolution. Block structure of the megaanticline basement is substantiated. The basement blocks and intermediate fault-flexure zone highly active within the Mesozoic mantle are of primary importance for seismic subdivision of the area and search for minerals.

Природоохранные аспекты береговой гидротехники - монография Хомицкого В. В. "Природоохранные аспекты береговой гидротехники" (Киев: Наук. Думка, 1983. 275 с.)

Энциклопедия знаний по геологии и геоморфологии дна Атлантического океана - Emery K. O., Uchupi E. The geology of the Atlantic Ocean. New York, Berlin, Heidelberg, Tokyo: Springer-Verlag, 1984.

Эрозия и сток наносов на Земле - монография Дедкова А. П., Мозжерина В. И. "Эрозия и сток наносов на Земле" (Казань: Изд-во Казан. ун-та, 1084. 264 с.)