Litologiczno-strukturalne uwarunkowania rzeźby Sudetów
Abstract
Lithological and structural control on the relief of the Sudetes.
A b s t r a c t. The geomorphological landscape of the Sudetes consists of elements of diverse origin. While the gross features of relief are best attributed to up- and downfaulting in the late Cenozoic, landform diversity at a smaller scale results mainly from selective long-term denudation controlled by rock properties. The occurrence of rock- and structure-controlled landforms has long been noted in the Sudetes, but their identification remained at a rather descriptive level. Recent work involving an analysis of digital elevation models, combined with field-based determination of rock strength using Schmidt hammer helped to refine some previous concepts and to identify further relationships between rocks and relief at a medium scale. Many residual convex landforms (hills, ridges) are associated with rocks of markedly higher strength than in the surroundings. Differences in elevations which may be attributed to rock factor, attain 400–500 m, which is a figure comparable with minor fault-bounded horsts. Extensive tracts of low relief are partly rock-controlled too, as they are best developed where adjacent rock complexes show similar strength, whether high or low. By contrast, the presence of escarpments cutting across rock masses of comparable strength on both sides appears to point to faulting as the topography-controlling factor.
A b s t r a c t. The geomorphological landscape of the Sudetes consists of elements of diverse origin. While the gross features of relief are best attributed to up- and downfaulting in the late Cenozoic, landform diversity at a smaller scale results mainly from selective long-term denudation controlled by rock properties. The occurrence of rock- and structure-controlled landforms has long been noted in the Sudetes, but their identification remained at a rather descriptive level. Recent work involving an analysis of digital elevation models, combined with field-based determination of rock strength using Schmidt hammer helped to refine some previous concepts and to identify further relationships between rocks and relief at a medium scale. Many residual convex landforms (hills, ridges) are associated with rocks of markedly higher strength than in the surroundings. Differences in elevations which may be attributed to rock factor, attain 400–500 m, which is a figure comparable with minor fault-bounded horsts. Extensive tracts of low relief are partly rock-controlled too, as they are best developed where adjacent rock complexes show similar strength, whether high or low. By contrast, the presence of escarpments cutting across rock masses of comparable strength on both sides appears to point to faulting as the topography-controlling factor.