The relief deformations in the south-eastern part of Gorny Altai caused by strong earthquakes on September 27 -October 1, 2003, were described and some criteria of seismic intensity evaluation for this high mountain region were suggested. The comparison of recent seismogenic deformations with the ancient rock failures and landslides manifests the seismic origin of the latter. Their dimension proves the intensity of ancient earthquakes to be 11-12 according to MSK-64 scale. Concentration of both ancient and recent earthquake-induced deformations in the south-eastern part of Altai indicates that this area is active seismic region at least since Late Pleistocene.

Geomorphologic effects of catastrophic earthquake in Altai Mountains (September 27, 2003) are described. Field investigations have helped to reveal spatial distribution of epicenters and to determine the area of their maximal concentration. The earthquake gave rise to many new landforms: landslides-collapses, chasm-fractures, small “mud-vol-canoes”, soak-holes, screes. The activation of exogenous processes is likely to happen during spring and summer of the year 2004 due to weakening of glaciers and slope deposits caused by earthquakes.

During excursions and field meetings associated with All-Russian Conference on arguable problems of geomorphology paleogeography and geology of South Siberian Mountains some interesting results were obtained: 1 - several new paleo-seismodislocations were discovered; 2 - tracers of Middle Pleistocene glaciation of piedmont type were revealed; 3 - new data were obtained which proves the absence of Upper Cretaceous marine sediments in the southeastern Altai in contrast to previous opinion (Zhykin et al., 1999).

Seven types of relatively homogeneous natural-technogenic subsystems were revealed within the basin of Hodynka - the left tributary of the Moscow river. Geomorphologic and hydrologic conditions, man-made changes of relief, vibrating effects play a great role in stability or instability of the subsystems. Ground water level changes in the ancient valley governed the activation of karst and suffusion.

Geomorphologic types of buried gold placers in the Upper Amur basin are briefly characterized. Data on their structure, formation conditions, anomalies in gold content, relations to parent material proves the good prospects of gold mining in this region.

The morphostructural subdivision of the White Sea region is based on morphostructural analysis of bathymetric charts, space image interpretation, data on seismicity, recent movements of the earth crust and other geological-geophysical data. Present-day morphostructural pattern of the region has resulted from the vertical and lateral Late Cenozoic differentiated tectonic movements along the complicated system of morpholineaments.

Quantitative criteria of channel furcations structure are discussed. According to these criteria furcated channels of different types under various natural conditions were analysed. Among the factors of furcation the most important one is the excess of actual solid runoff over the transport capacity of the flow.

A great number of lichenometric observations on breakstone and mammock slopes showed multiple changes of gravitational slope processes intensity. There are 11-, 14-, 22-, 45-, 80-, 142- and 283-year periods of such changes. The model of gravitational morpholithodynamics is worked out. It allows to analyze the impact of climatic factors and to forecast the changes of slope processes in the near future. Lichenometric approach to evaluation of upcast and downcast lithodynamic flow balance on local morphosculptures of gravitational type is discussed.

According to geologic data the middle terraces of Yalomansko-Katunskaya zone consist of Sal’dzharskaya rock mass. Facial-genetic analysis of this rock mass showed the absence of moraines and fluvio-glacial deposits of close transfer. Sal’dzharskaya rock mass follows with the erosion unconformity the Ininskaya one, of which the upper terrace complex consists. Fluvial complexes formed by enormous floods and imbedded into each other represent the structure of the middle terraces. Series of close levels, grouping at the levels of middle terraces, appeared due to structural denudation along the tilt layers of coarse sediment. Thus, the opinion that Sal’dzharskaya and Ininskaya rock masses are facial analogues and high and middle terraces are cut in the single layer did not find a confirmation. Obviously, middle terrace complex of Yalomansko-Katunskaya zone corresponds to progressive stage of Late Pleistocene glaciation in the southeastern Altai.

Склоновым (гравитационным) процессам в Крыму посвящена обширная литература. Изучение оползней на территории бывшего СССР вообще, можно сказать, заложено в Крыму. Помимо оползней на Южном берегу Крыма (ЮБК) серьезное значение имели внезапные скальные обвалы, которым, однако, уделено несравненно меньше внимания, явно непропорционально их значимости. В такой сводке как “Геология СССР” об обвалах ничего не сказано, в отличие от карста, оползневых процессов, селевых потоков, грязевых вулканов [1]. В более позднем обобщающем издании, имеется небольшой раздел “обвалы и осыпи” с очень малым объемом фактического материала [2]. Из этого раздела можно узнать, что обвально-осыпные процессы зародились здесь в плиоцене, с момента образования южного обрыва яйл; что хаотически нагроможденные у обрыва Яйлы глыбы известняков размером 0.5-5 м тянутся почти непрерывной полосой от меридиана мыса Айя до меридиана г. Алушты; среди вызывающих обвалы причин называются сейсмические толчки, тектоническая и экзогенная трещиноватость, абразия и эрозия. Отмечается, что обвалы, даже мелкие (по 3-5 м ³) в настоящее время чрезвычайно редки (что, скорее всего, отражает неполный их учет, но не реальную редкость).

Anomalies of annual solid runoff were revealed on the base of annual measurements. They may be divided into three types: small, big and extreme. The main factors of anomalous runoff and erosion were determined for 16 river basins of the east of the Russian Plain. The positive erosion anomalies are more salient in the lesser basins, under stronger human impact on landscape and in more southward regions. The negative anomalies are more distinctive just under reverse conditions. Anomalous manifestations of erosion are of hydro-meteorological origin and have close relation to the other exodynamic processes.

A set of quantitative parameters of scree dynamics has been obtained by yearly phototheodolite survey at the station on the southern slope of West Caucasus. Correlation of these parameters with the main factors in action improved understanding of the scree development mechanism. Photogrammetry helps more detailed investigation of exogenous processes; this method is of great use in reaching high accuracy when predicting the hazardous geomorphologic events.

К 200-летию Казанского университета.

О XXVII Пленуме Геоморфологической комиссии РАН