Scholarly record

HYDROLOGIC SIMULATION AS APPLIED TO THE STUDY OF ANCIENT AND MODERN GEODYNAMIC PROCESSES WITHIN PLATFORMS

Inna Chernova

Abstract

The aim of the study is to elaborate an understanding of the impact that endogenous processes have on the development of erosion patterns on flatlands (within aseismic platforms). Most of the studies based on river flow simulation cover very limited areas (one river basin, one ravine, one stream) and a narrow time range (days, months, a few years). The scope of the study can be expanded by modeling the erosion-tectonic relief. The object of this research is a rolling plateau in the east of the East European Plain. The models of erosion-tectonic relief were created basing on two aspects: 1) vertical motions of the earth?s crust and 2) surface erosion. It was also assumed that intense surface erosion went hand in hand with active tectonic motions. River deposition was disregarded during the periods of tectonic activity. Erosion processes were simulated using the universal soil loss equation (USLE). The active tectonic stages lasted for about 100 thousand years each. The information content and reliability of morphometric analysis were evaluated with regard to the quantitative assessment of vertical displacements occurred during the first stage of tectonic activity. The simulation results showed that tectonic forces can alter the surface configuration unrecognizably in a very short (in the geological sense) time (~30 thousand years). The amplitudes of upward motions can be estimated (using base surfaces) more reliably than those of downward motions. Morphometric analysis is a reliable method for studying modern geodynamic processes, as well as for long-term forecasts of further evolution of the studied area.

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