Polystructural organization of volcanic landscapes on the Matua Island (Central Kurils)

The concept of polystructurality of the landscape space is discussed. The object of research is the Matua Island with an active volcano, absence of surface run-off and widespread development of debrisflow and avalanche complexes. Landscape map of the island’s territory is presented, based on structural and genetic principles. Three geographic localities are identified within the island’s landscape, namely that of the modern Peak Sarychev volcano with predominance of volcanic deserts, that of the ancient Matua volcano (the most complex one) and that of marine terraces of different levels (from 2–3 to 60–70 m). A model of the nuclear system with a core within the volcano crater has been developed. According to the degree of volcano’s influence on natural complexes three zones have been identified, i.e. strong, medium and moderate. The main components of volcano’s impact are lava and pyroclastic flows, pyroclastic waves, tephra fallout, and gas emissions. Debris-flow and avalanche geosystems have been identified and analyzed within the paradynamic geosystems interlinked by homodromous flows of matter and energy. The material flows generated by the volcano, avalanches and debris flows were quantified. The volume of two lava flows formed during the 2009 eruption was about 10 million m³. The volume of pyroclastic deposits is estimated at 200 million m³. Calculations of debris flows of 1% probability for 15 particular debris flow catchments revealed that they can vary from 5,7 to 691 m³/s and from the first thousands to 425 thousand m3 in volume. The total volume of debris flows of 1% probability is 1,62 million m³. The total volume of 2% probability snow avalanches for 33 catchments is estimated at 21,2 million m³. It was found that in the modern period the volcano is the main system-forming factor for the majority of natural complexes of the island. It is concluded that the polystructural nature of the landscape space is clearly manifested within the island and comes from the formation of different types of geosystems, based on different physical principles, within one and the same territory.

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