We analyzed different hypotheses of the thermokarst-lake plains development using mathematical modeling of their morphological pattern. Two different assumptions of thermokarst depressions growth were considered: 1) synchronous start, when period of emergence of initial lakes is relatively short compared with the period of their further development, and the number of depressions remains constant; 2) asynchronous start, when new thermokarst lakes appear permanently. Theoretical statements were empirically tested using real thermokarst lakes parameters at the 16 test sites in different permafrost regions. The analysis of the model and empirical testing of the results demonstrated prevailing lognormal distribution of thermokarst lakes areas and proved the synchronous lakes emergence on the assumption that the rate of the lakes growth is proportional to the density of thermal losses through the side surface of the lake.

The author suggests to consider as the object of general geomorphology not the relief of the Earth, but the total sphere of morphogenesis. It includes the landscape geosphere and the lithosphere. Its upper boundary  coincides with the maximum height of the dust transport in the atmosphere – the troposphere-stratosphere boundary, the lower boundary coincides with the lithosphere bottom. As an elementary geomorphic system the  author considers the smallest mineral particles moving by endogenous or exogenous forces during formation and evolution of landforms.

The main purpose of morphostructural analysis is to distinguish the dislocations which play the main role in the formation of the endogenic basis of the given area relief. Morphostructures are the objects of morphostructural analysis. The aim of morphotectonics – morphological and geodynamic typing of the structural plan elements with the use of geomorphic data. Geologic structure and conformal relief represent the object of morphotectonics.

The author argues that geomorphology should aim 1) to further development of the theory and methodology; 2) to investigate relief by geomorphological and general scientific methods, 3) to compile univocal geomorphologic map and to interpret geomorphological data; 4) to provide data bases for prospecting; 5) to develop engineer- geomorphologic assessments; 6) to investigate contemporary geomorphic processes; 7) to provide relief data bases for their use in GIS-technologies. The author suggests that all the readers of the journal “Geomorhpology” should focus their attention on the creation of a geomorphological code just to unify the conceptual language and some other theoretical elements of science.

Horizontal component of neotectonic movements in platform conditions can be identified by comparing the morphostructural pattern of the region with the known structural models of horizontal deformations. Through the juncture of the Baltic shield and Barents plate, which is the part of the Western Arctic platform the two sutures pass: Karpinsky lineament – latitudinal zone of discontinuities, by which crystalline basement is dipping step by step seaward and thrust-shear structure Trollfjord–Rybachiy–Kanin. Characteristic features for this area are as follows: concentration of cracks, bearing tectonic mirrors and furrows slip, faults and near-fault deformations, manifested by the valleys and canyons, and the steps of relief, the formation of which cannot be explained by selective denudation of the substrate. The epicenters of earthquakes are numerous here. By the geological data the morphostructures were distinguished here with the indications of rotations of blocks, leading to the subsidences in the areas of stretching and shears along an echelon faults and also movements in mutually antithetic directions – right and left strike-slips of unknown age. Antithetic movements along the plate boundaries can be explained by the complex nature of the interaction of the East European platform with its frame.

Large portion of steep bedrock slopes of the Oka river in the Ryazan region is occupied by extensive pediments 50–300 m width and 8–30° inclination. They are formed as a result of landslide occurring on the bedrock slopes composed of Neogene-Quaternary permeable sediments of 40 m depth underlain by confining layer of Jurassic clays. Groundwater discharge over the Jurassic clays provokes the insequent landslides, followed by the slope retreat into the interfluve areas, and by the formation of slightly dipping surface of the pediment. Denudation of valley pediments occurs mainly due to landslides moving over their surface. The width of valley pediments depends on the depth of Neogenе-Quaternary sediments and hypsometry of the Jurassic clays roof. The progressing erosive segmentation of the bedrock slopes prevents further sliding and widening of the pediments.

Publication activity analysis reveals that the term “pediment” has remained popular in geomorphological literature over the past decades. However in the East-European Plain, pediments have still been studied only in its eastern part; for the central part of the Plain this is the first journal publication, that determines its relevance. The mass-wasting pedestals of the Oka river valley slopes, which were described by the authors, are rather elements of local mass-wasting systems – transitional elements of slump slopes, than classical pediments that make a part of landscape planation system. However they do fit the formal definition of a pediment. Data by V.A. Krivtsov and S.A. Pravkin show the close dependence of valley pediment formation in this case on lateral erosion of the river banks: undercutting of a rather long section of the valley side triggers slump activity and subsequent pediment formation. Deciphering the river lateral migrations at a given valley stretch could help to estimate the pediments’ ages. In particular, one of the pediments in the vicinity of the Ryazan’ city is based upon a downstream part of a small Holocene palaeomeander. Small palaeochannels in the river valleys of the region are known to have been formed in the Mid-Holocene. This fact suggests that the palaeochannel was abandoned and the related pediments was formed between 7–8 and 2.5 ka BP. A more accurate estimation of this and other pediment age requires absolute geochronology data from palaeofluvial features in the Oka valley.

63% of the territory of the Republic of Udmurtia are the regions with favorable and relatively favorable ecologic-geomorphologic conditions, 37% correspond to the regions with unfavorable ecologic-geomorphologic conditions. The settlements are confined mainly to the basins of lower order, since the higher order watercourses are low-water and are often located in wetlands. In settlements located on river floodplains and terraces, as well as in closed depressions self-purification of the air is slow, and an unfavorable ecological situation has arisen there. Continuously inhabited areas are often located on gentle slopes of warm exposures, 100–200 m a.s.l., which are composed of loam, sand and loamy sand in the southern part of Udmurtia (Mozhga and Sarapul uplands). The watersheds are the borders between not only natural systems (river basins), but also between social systems – regions with different density of rural population.

The Sayan-Altai mountain systems occupy the area of “convergence” of three types of climate: extreme continental of the West Siberia, dry-steppe and semi-desert of Kazakhstan, and desert Mongolian (according to M.V. Tronov). The author has compiled morphoclimatic scheme of the Altai-Sayan mountain systems, with 6 morphoclimatic zones: humid, semi-humid, transitional humid-arid, semiarid, arid and ultra-arid ones. Digital mapping, carried out using satellite imagery, helped to standardize interpretive indicators of these zones and to unify the existing diverse and multi-scale materials on this area. An essencial condition for understanding the formation of climate in mountain areas is the consideration of the interaction of endogenous and exogenous forces in the processes of mountain building. The character of relief depends not only on the tectonic factors but on the exogenous processes as well – erosion and baro-thermal conditions (primarily) and processes determined by the dynamics of air flows.

In the result of geomorphological survey in the scale of 1: 50 000 performed in the central part of the Altai Mountains it was found that fragments of the Cretaceous-Paleogene peneplain preserved in the form of vast watershed areas in all the mountain ranges of the region, are actually a ladder of planation surfaces of different age raised at different heights during the neotectonic reactivation.

A comparison of the explored area of the Kurai ridge with the tectonically stable Anabar-Udjinskoye interfluve (North of the Siberian platform), has shown the identity of geomorphological structure of the watershed areas and allowed us to extrapolate the datings obtained for the reference Siberian site on different fragments of the planation surfaces in the Altai. On this basios we conclude that on the watershed of the Kurai ridge within one neotectonic block greatest height occupy fragments of the most ancient Middle Cretaceous peneplain, the Late Cretaceous level is lower by 30–40 m, Paleogene – by 50–70 m, and Early Neogene – by 170–200 m. the Good state of preservation of the denudation levels ladder indicates the insignificance of watersheds denudation during Cenozoic. It also contradicts the model of slow dome-like deformation of the Altai in the Cenozoic with the formation of pediments in the periods of movements slowdown.

Detailed  investigations  of  soil-sediment  sequences  of  three  sections  (Nizhnyaya  Bulanka,  Nadeino  and Kuytun) in the Kuytunka river basin (Western Transbaikalia) was carried out. Three stages of activation of erosion- accumulation processes in small drainage basins of Western Transbaikalia are determined: Pre Holocene (13.0– 10.7), Early- (10.3–8.0) and Late Holocene (last 2.5 14C kyr). During these stages several phases of sedimentation and soil-forming process are distinguished. High intensity of aeolian processes together with washout and sedimentation during time spans of 10.7–10.0 and 9.5–9.0 kyr were determined on erosion landforms and alluvial fans. The main causes of deposition processes intensification have been revealed and quantitative data about their intensity were obtained. Intensification of soil-forming process in conditions of mountain-forest-steppe landscapes of Western Transbaikalia begins when sedimentation rates reach 0.06–0.37 mm/yr. Within the sedimentation rate interval 0.3–0.6 mm/yr humus interlayers alternate with layers of colluvial and aeolian deposits. At the rate above 0.6 mm/yr sedimentation of sandy loam and sands with inclusions of rubble are observed. Duration of soil development is 300–3500 years. Sediment accumulation phases have duration from 70 to 2000 years. Development of erosion-accumulation processes are characterized by polychronicity related to different response of small drainages basins to global, regional and local environmental changes. Rhythmical development of the washout, erosion, accumulation and soil-forming processes provides long-term activity of erosional landforms.

Kuznetsk intermountain area originated in the Late Cenozoic at the place of the Kuznetsk Carbon basin and partly inherited its boundaries. The area is characterized by transit regime and practically lack sediments of the N-Q orogeny. Its step plain relief consist of the four planation surfaces of close heights with rare structure-denudation highlands –  monadnocks –  and  netlike  low-incised  erosion  valleys  associated  with  neotectonic  faults  zones. Tectonic escarps of 200 m and higher are characteristic only for the boundaries with the Salair and Kuznetsk Alatau. Tectonic valleys and escarps are the natural boundaries between blocks with relatively homogenous characteristics what had made possible to use the scheme of the block divisibility as the base for compiling some applied maps.

A new correlation scheme was drawn up for the river systems of the Araks and Kura. 14 terrace levels in the basin of the river Araks and 13 levels in the basin of the river Kura were newly distinguished. They are aged from the Late Akchagyl up to and including Novocaspian. These levels have different relative heights, which are subdivided into four groups: low, medium, high and highest. The sequence of river terraces is most fully expressed in the intermountain valleys and foothills. In these areas, terraces have been correlated with each other are traced into the mountain zone, where they move in glaciofluvial sediments and moraines. Furthermore terraces have been traced into the Kura depression and associated with the marine sediments of the Caspian sea to determine their relative age.

The specific structure is characteristic to terraces of the rivers on the volcanic uplands, where the outpouring of lavas has had a great influence on their formation. Lava repeatedly during the Pliocene and Pleistocene filled valley that led to the burial of terraces, damming valleys and the formation of lakes, especially large ones in intermontane depressions.