Formation of terrace complex in a river valley: an attempt of morphological analysis
Abstract
Walther Penck formulated the concept of morphological analysis as a procedure of deducing the course and development of crustal movements from the exogenous processes and the morphological features. To implement it a differential method was introduced into geomorphology. It allows considering the simultaneous action of both exogenous and endogenous processes on relief formation. The basic differential equation for the investigation of these processes is the Exner’s equation of deformation, written with an additional term to account for the tectonic movements. The use of the equation of deformation makes it possible to determine the potential of the morphological analysis for the investigation of river valleys. Thus, the morphological analysis seems unnecessary in assessing the intensity of modern tectonic movements. The rates of river incision, i.e. the effect of exogenous processes, could be differentiated over time if there are dated terraces of incision with known heights in a river valley. In this case the characteristics of tectonic uplift, i.e. the action of endogenous forces, could be judged indirectly. The intensity of tectonic uplift in the geological past is determined by the height and age of the initial surface, but only integrally, in terms of the average rate of uplift for the entire period of river bed incision. A differentiated estimation of tectonic uplift rates from the information on altitudes and age of individual terraces of incision is only possible for the periods between the formation of now-existing terraces in case of the equal intensity of exogenous and endogenous processes.
Keywords
differential method,
equation of deformation,
terraces of incision,
tectonic uplift rates,
river incision rates
Supporting agencies: The study was implemented under the State Research Task «Evolution and transformation of erosion-channel systems under the changing environment and the anthropogenic pressure».
About the Author
A. Yu. Sidorchuk
Lomonosov Moscow State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Leading Scientific Researcher, D.Sc. in Geography
Faculty of Geography, Makkaveev Research Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Fluvial Processes
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For citations:
Sidorchuk A.Yu. Formation of terrace complex in a river valley: an attempt of morphological analysis. Lomonosov Geography Journal. 2020;(1):3-10. (In Russ.)
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