Tectonic relief of Eurasia

Abstract

The tectonic relief of Eurasia has a concentric-radial structure and is characterized by the interchange (from north to south) of belts of platform plains, rejuvenated mountains and young mountains. The Gondwanaland subcontinents of Arabia and Hindustan join from the south. A belt of platform plains is linked by the Urals meridional sutural orogen. Ancient platforms are characterized by the prevalence of homogenous uplifts, whereas young platforms typically have subsidences and differentiated uplifts. In the rejuvenated mountain belts there are large domes, tectonic clustering in belts of intercontinental collision of lithospheric plates, intercontinental and marginal-continental rifts. In the young mobile belts folded mountains, cover (overthrust sheet) orogens and linear large domes prevail. The Himalayas are morphologically analogous as regards the uplifts of island arcs. Great scarps extend throughout the margins of the Gondwanaland continents. The Ural-Oman-Madagascar axis borders on a scarp of the earth surface, which reflects a lineament of the core-mantle detachment. This divides Eurasia into two parts with mirror-shaped disposition of the main morphotectonic elements. Rejuvenated mountains extend in Eurasia to the south of this axis. Active elements of young tectonics (Baikal rift zone, the Alpine belt and the TibetHimalayas with its surrounding areas are characterized by transverse mirror symmetry.