Lapland state nature biosphere reserve

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Different processes have been influencing formation of this foundation for almost 3 billion years – from the late Archaean period and up to now. As a result of combined ac-tion of internal (deep-earth forces) and external (surface ex-ternal forces: like water, rotting, ice-flows, etc.) factors main geological structures and crystalline rocks complexes were formatted as well as soft sediments and relief, it means the very surface that we observe and examine now, the one we use to map geological and touristic routes today. At different time periods of their development geological structures and rocks forming them were built up and destroyed, underwent changes as a result of high temperature and pressure ac-tions, were subjected to earthquakes and glacierization. Each of these processes left various “marks”, “steps” on earth sur-face. Such “steps” can be found everywhere: rock exposures, their mode of arrangement (i.e. pattern reflecting balance and structure of constituents), combination of minerals, landscape associations in form of spectacular mountain creeps, fractures and canyons, classic os chains, glacial scars and erratic blocks, seitas and seida field stones, waterfalls, etc. All that contains information which still needs to be decrypted.

Geological and geomorphological description of the Lapland reserve and unique geological objects of the natural heritage

Territory of the Lapland state reserve as well as the whole Kola peninsula is located in the north-eastern part of one of the earliest crystalline formations (surface which is capable to be lifted) – the Baltic (Fennoscandian) formation, presenting a continental crust mass with a foundation blooming out

Geological structureGeological structure of the Lapland reserve is no way shall

be reviewed separately from development history of the Baltic formation itself. According to modern concepts large internal and tectonomagmatic cycles can be identified in a history of formation development which matches with the Archae-an period (geological time period from 2500 and more than 3200 million years ago), the early (1650–2500 million years) and the late Proterozoic period (570–1650 million years). As main geotectonic elements of the Kola peninsula, start-ing from a work of A.A. Polkanov, it is a practice to identify the Murmansk, Kola and Belomorsk regions or terrains (do-mains, large geological blocks of earth crust, having a common history of development and structure), which are subdivided in turn into smaller blocks. Most further regional structural and tectonic schemes reflect the same main structural ele-ments for all that diversity of their tectonic typification.

Main structural and compositional complexes and block (domain and terrain) structure of the Kola peninsula were formed predominantly in the period of the Neo-Archaean period – early Proterozoic period. Formation of the earliest crystalline rock complexes composing the reserve belongs to

ABCGheritage – Our common arctic heritage

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the same age. In a structural relation this territory is a part of the Belomorsky geological block (terrain) and borders at the earth with Lapland-Belomorsky suture zone separating two large structures – Belomorsky and Central-Kola compos-ite terrains (picture 1). Pechengsky and Imandra-Varzugsky pa-leo-ridges are fragments of this suture zone.

The most ancient rocks at soil surface of the reserve are of the upper Archaean period (picture 2, 3). This long ago period was marked by a wide range of processes which resulted in for-mation and reconversion of different rocks. Stratification and correlation of deposits of this period forming geological bodies separated by fractures is made conventionally. Gneisses (eu-taxic thin-slabby rocks consisting of quartz, potassic feldspar, sodium-calcium feldspar, color minerals with obligatory pres-ence of glist), migmatites (rocks which were formed of hetero-geneous mixture of magma and ectogenic hard metals with cracks of granitic composite), plagiogranits (sodium calci-alka-lic granits consisting of quartz and acid plagioclase with some amount of biotite and amphibole), granite-gneisses (granite with primary gneissosity), amphi-bolites (metamorphic me-dium-grained rocks consisting of amphibole, sodium-calcium feldspar and impurity materials) of so called “basement com-plex” are prevailing here.

Mica and granite-mica gneisses and amphibolites in range of the Kola-Belomorsky unstratified complex (picture 1) are located stratigraphically higher than rocks of “basement

years), the Neogene (1,6–23.3 million years) and the Anthro-pogenic (Quarternary) (0–1.8 million years). In the Palaeogene period reserve territory as well as the territory of the whole Kola peninsula was terrain. Probably it was a period of marine transgression, which scale and accurate time is not possible to identify. At this time the Baltic formation surface had less contrast relief relevant to basic denudation areas. Palaeogene deposits on the Kola peninsula are not known. The Neogene period differed from the Palaeogene by high tectonic activi-ty. In the end of the Palaeogene – beginning of the Miocene the territory lifted up, continental precipitation started to be accumulated within its borders. They are mainly presented by alteration products of more ancient rocks. Farewell rocks are found rarely because they are superposed by less recent quaternary deposits. Residual soils were forming at the same period.

To the end of the Neogene period a weather became much cooler, at the following quaternary period and along the whole period climate was less favorable comparing to beginning and middle of the Neogene period. Physical weathering was the leading process on the Fennoscandian formation: pro-cess of land waste-rubble-block material formation began and is still going on. Macrofragmental eluvium was formed in mountainous areas and uplands where was no hydromi-caceous residual soil. Its thickness according to the thickness of modern eluvium was not more than the first meters.

Thus by early inland ices water dividing surfaces of the Kola peninsula were covered by macrofragmental eluvium and hy-dromicaceous residual soil farewell rocks, and products of its deposition embedded in depressions.

In quaternary period (0–1.8 million years) territory of the Lapland reserve similar to adherent regions was exposed to multiple glaciations. Ice-flows originated in epochs of dramat-ic cooling and melted in warm interglacial periods.

As a result of these activities the territory settled influ-enced by ice load which was replaced by glacioisostatic lifting when unloading. Quaternary deposits formation was prede-termined mainly by ice-flows activity. Glacial (moraines) and aqueoglacial deposits of the last Scandinavian glaciation are the most widespread among them. Moraine consists of frag-mentary material deposited by activity of land ice. It is repre-sented predominantly by unsorted, often unstratified, various deposits – from gibbers to clay loams and clay. Aqueoglacial deposits (fluvio-glacial) often form os chains of a narrow tor-tuous shape, less often – kames (sand hills) or fluvio-glacial deltas. Composite of these deposits is sandy-chisley-bouldery. Glaciolacustrine deposits consisting of sands, aleurites and clays are less prevailing. Less recent deposits are represented by river alluvium, slop colluviums (fragmentary material shift-ed downslop under action of gravity), biogenic and lacustrine deposits.

Geomorphologic characteristicThe Kola peninsula relief has been formed during a long

course of continental development in conditions of steady lifting and overall distribution of crystalline rocks. Intensive ex-

Sedimentaryingneous rockcomplexes

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Picture 1 Geologic structure of the Lapland reserve territory according (Geological map…, 2001). Sedimentary-igneous and intrusive rock complexes. The lower Proterozoic: 1 – alkaline granites, syenites; 2 – norites, gabbronorites, 3 – gabbroic anorthosites, gabbro, Main range diorites, 4 – peridotites, pyroxenites, gabbronorites of the Monchegorsky Pluto, 5 – andesite-basalts, amphibolites, 6 – basic granulites. Upper Archaean: 7 – granites, granodiorites, enderbites, 8 – acid metavolcanics, average, basic, 9 – glomerations, metavolcanics, quartzites, 10 – paragneisses and cleaving stones, 11 – granodiorites, tonalities, plagiogranites, 12 – mica gneisses, garnet-mica gneisses with kyanite, 13 – gneisses, migmatites. Structural elements: 14 – oversteps (а), shifts (b), trap-downs and upthrusts (c), 15 – structural lines, 16 – gneissic banding and fissility. Insert: fragments of Pechengsky (PZ) and Imandra-Varsugsky (IVZ) paleorift zones (belts), Lapland granulite complex (LGC)

foundation”. Various metavolcanics (rocks which were formed by discharge or ejection of lava on surface) and quartz rocks (granular rocks consisting of quartz and coherent by quartz material) belong to the recent deposits of the Upper Archaean period.

Pechengsko-Imandra-Varzugskaya zone was formed in the early Proterozoiс period and large series of igneous-sedimen-tary rocks were built up – mostly of felsic, intermediate and main metavolcanic units.

Intrusive rocks are represented by different granitoids (ag-gregate of granites, granodiorites, plagiogranits transitional to quartz diorites); diorites (rocks mainly consisting of sodi-um-calcium feldspar and protobase); gabbro and gabbro- an-orthosites (basic rock consisting of sodium-calcium feldspar and pyroxene); pyroxenites, peridotites (ultrabasic rocks con-sisting of pyroxene with a small amount of olivine and biotite, olivine and pyroxene only) etc. Granitoids can often be met within “basement complex” rocks area. The biggest intrusion forming the Greater mountain range (Monche and Volchyi tundras) consists of basic and ultrabasic rocks. In the north of the reserve granulites can be found (various rocks with a granular and foliaceous structure consisting of orthose, quartz, andradite, etc.), andesite-basalts and amphibolites of Laplandsky complex.

Cainozoic deposits are the most recent. The cainozoic era is divided into 3 periods – the Palaeogenic (65–23.3 million

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years), the Neogene (1,6–23.3 million years) and the Anthro-pogenic (Quarternary) (0–1.8 million years). In the Palaeogene period reserve territory as well as the territory of the whole Kola peninsula was terrain. Probably it was a period of marine transgression, which scale and accurate time is not possible to identify. At this time the Baltic formation surface had less contrast relief relevant to basic denudation areas. Palaeogene deposits on the Kola peninsula are not known. The Neogene period differed from the Palaeogene by high tectonic activi-ty. In the end of the Palaeogene – beginning of the Miocene the territory lifted up, continental precipitation started to be accumulated within its borders. They are mainly presented by alteration products of more ancient rocks. Farewell rocks are found rarely because they are superposed by less recent quaternary deposits. Residual soils were forming at the same period.

To the end of the Neogene period a weather became much cooler, at the following quaternary period and along the whole period climate was less favorable comparing to beginning and middle of the Neogene period. Physical weathering was the leading process on the Fennoscandian formation: pro-cess of land waste-rubble-block material formation began and is still going on. Macrofragmental eluvium was formed in mountainous areas and uplands where was no hydromi-caceous residual soil. Its thickness according to the thickness of modern eluvium was not more than the first meters.

Thus by early inland ices water dividing surfaces of the Kola peninsula were covered by macrofragmental eluvium and hy-dromicaceous residual soil farewell rocks, and products of its deposition embedded in depressions.

In quaternary period (0–1.8 million years) territory of the Lapland reserve similar to adherent regions was exposed to multiple glaciations. Ice-flows originated in epochs of dramat-ic cooling and melted in warm interglacial periods.

As a result of these activities the territory settled influ-enced by ice load which was replaced by glacioisostatic lifting when unloading. Quaternary deposits formation was prede-termined mainly by ice-flows activity. Glacial (moraines) and aqueoglacial deposits of the last Scandinavian glaciation are the most widespread among them. Moraine consists of frag-mentary material deposited by activity of land ice. It is repre-sented predominantly by unsorted, often unstratified, various deposits – from gibbers to clay loams and clay. Aqueoglacial deposits (fluvio-glacial) often form os chains of a narrow tor-tuous shape, less often – kames (sand hills) or fluvio-glacial deltas. Composite of these deposits is sandy-chisley-bouldery. Glaciolacustrine deposits consisting of sands, aleurites and clays are less prevailing. Less recent deposits are represented by river alluvium, slop colluviums (fragmentary material shift-ed downslop under action of gravity), biogenic and lacustrine deposits.

Geomorphologic characteristicThe Kola peninsula relief has been formed during a long

course of continental development in conditions of steady lifting and overall distribution of crystalline rocks. Intensive ex-

Picture 2 Graded yields of the Upper Archaean plagiogranites on southern foot

hills of Chuna tundras

Sedimentaryingneous rockcomplexes

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foundation”. Various metavolcanics (rocks which were formed by discharge or ejection of lava on surface) and quartz rocks (granular rocks consisting of quartz and coherent by quartz material) belong to the recent deposits of the Upper Archaean period.

Pechengsko-Imandra-Varzugskaya zone was formed in the early Proterozoiс period and large series of igneous-sedimen-tary rocks were built up – mostly of felsic, intermediate and main metavolcanic units.

Intrusive rocks are represented by different granitoids (ag-gregate of granites, granodiorites, plagiogranits transitional to quartz diorites); diorites (rocks mainly consisting of sodi-um-calcium feldspar and protobase); gabbro and gabbro- an-orthosites (basic rock consisting of sodium-calcium feldspar and pyroxene); pyroxenites, peridotites (ultrabasic rocks con-sisting of pyroxene with a small amount of olivine and biotite, olivine and pyroxene only) etc. Granitoids can often be met within “basement complex” rocks area. The biggest intrusion forming the Greater mountain range (Monche and Volchyi tundras) consists of basic and ultrabasic rocks. In the north of the reserve granulites can be found (various rocks with a granular and foliaceous structure consisting of orthose, quartz, andradite, etc.), andesite-basalts and amphibolites of Laplandsky complex.

Cainozoic deposits are the most recent. The cainozoic era is divided into 3 periods – the Palaeogenic (65–23.3 million

Picture 3 Outcrops of biotite – amphibolitic gneisses often found at the territory

of the Lapland reserve

The most ancient rocks at soil surface of the reserve are of the upper Archaean period. This long ago period was marked by a wide range of processes which resulted in formation and reconversion of different rocks.

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ternal agencies developed here simultaneously with tectonic processes expressed in formation if fractures, intrusions and vertical oscillating movements, alteration products were taken away outside formation. As a consequence plain of subaerial denudation was formed and tectonic denudation, structur-al-sculptured and sculptured relief represented by flat-topped mountain groups, monticulate area, law ranges, plateau, cal-low pediment plains was dominant.

The Lapland reserve relief is quite dissected (picture 4). Chain of low and subdued mountains Chuna (Anserine), Monche (Beautiful) and Volchyi are the most remarkable mountains of surrounding landscape in the eastern part of

the territory. Maximum topographic elevations of the relief reach 900–1072 m. Less high mountains Nyavka, Maura and Liva are located in the central part of the reserve. It seems like they are embracing the central plateau-like diving space in a semi-ring which gives rise to Tuloma and Imandra basin rivers. In north-west relief dissection is underlined by another biggest mountain mass – Salnye tundra, formed by granulite complex rocks. Dividing plateau in the central part of the re-serve degrading in south-east transits to bog flat with Nyav-ka lake in the center. Other degradations between mountain masses are built up by valleys of rivers Chuna, Konya, Nyavka, Pecha, Vartewy, Vaikis, etc.

Picture 4 Topographic map including the territory of the Lapland reserve and objects of the natural heritage. 1 – borders of the Lapland reserve, 2 – traces of ancient earthquakes (paleo- seismic dislocations), 3 – os complexes, 4 – glacial scores and strias

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Complicated and broken structure of reviewed territory relief is determined by development of several morpho-logi-cal structures (large relief forms originated due to geological factors): Zaimandrovsky, Noto-Chunsky and Sariselyan-Sal-notundrovsky. They differ in lifting intensity in contemporary time: from high (Zaimandrovsky and Sariselyan-Salnotun-drovsky) – several hundred meters to slightly elevated (No-to-Chunsky) – not more than one hundred meters. Prevailing relief type here is structural-sculptured i.e. built by depositing subsurface rocks and as a result of denudation – erosion, glacial processes, rotting, abrasion, etc.

Mountains Chuna, Monche and Volchyi have massive set of hills due to high enough stability of main rocks to rotting processes. Erosion, nival and gravitational forms are as a rule assigned to negative land forms. In location of linear depres-sions of river valleys and basinings north-western, north-east-ern and north-south directions are prevailing. Edge fractures of north-south direction are clearly expressed in western foot relief of Chuna and Volchyi mountains.

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the territory. Maximum topographic elevations of the relief reach 900–1072 m. Less high mountains Nyavka, Maura and Liva are located in the central part of the reserve. It seems like they are embracing the central plateau-like diving space in a semi-ring which gives rise to Tuloma and Imandra basin rivers. In north-west relief dissection is underlined by another biggest mountain mass – Salnye tundra, formed by granulite complex rocks. Dividing plateau in the central part of the re-serve degrading in south-east transits to bog flat with Nyav-ka lake in the center. Other degradations between mountain masses are built up by valleys of rivers Chuna, Konya, Nyavka, Pecha, Vartewy, Vaikis, etc.

Complicated and broken structure of reviewed territory relief is determined by development of several morpho-logi-cal structures (large relief forms originated due to geological factors): Zaimandrovsky, Noto-Chunsky and Sariselyan-Sal-notundrovsky. They differ in lifting intensity in contemporary time: from high (Zaimandrovsky and Sariselyan-Salnotun-drovsky) – several hundred meters to slightly elevated (No-to-Chunsky) – not more than one hundred meters. Prevailing relief type here is structural-sculptured i.e. built by depositing subsurface rocks and as a result of denudation – erosion, glacial processes, rotting, abrasion, etc.

Dislocations with a break of continuity are pronounced in north-west bearings in a form of canyons, crosscutting rang-es. Fractures of east-north-eastern direction determined Vaikis lake basin orientation as well as several canyons in mountains. Modern landscape of the Lapland reserve is mainly defined by two controlling factors: structure of crystalline foundation and character of soft sediments cover connected with activity of the latest continental glacierization.

Variety of these factors manifestation is fixed in amazingly beautiful and sometimes rare geological and geomorpholog-ic objects being unique natural landmarks. This paper deals with short descriptions of several of them. Most remarkable are traces of ancient earthquakes (seismic dislocation – distur-bances of relief and subsurface rocks, including soft sediments, directly or indirectly originated in a result of earthquakes) and objects caused by glacial activity: glacial scratches and scores, striated pavements, oz complexes, etc.

Unique landscape objects and geomorphologic natural heritage objects

Paleoseismic dislocations (traces of ancient earthquakes which are not survived in human memory) in the form of dra-matic cuttings in crystalline rocks, massive rock falls and stone falls, stone “columns” and “ruins”, original canyons and crev-ices can be found at the territory of the Lapland reserve. They are few of them, but still they are and generally they are envel-oped in legends, myths and stories.

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Picture 5 Location diagram of paleo- seismic dislocations in the area of lakes Ecostrovsky Imandra-Chunozero (А) and structure of the seismotectonic canyon “Chuna” (B). А. Paleo-seismic dislocations: 1 – cuttings, canyoans and fractures, 2 – rocky downfalls, 3 – paleo-seismic dislocation “Chuna”, 4 – assumed focal area of ancient earthquakes. B. 1 – gneissogranites, 2 – elements of rock beds, 3 – benches, 4 – blocks, 5 – boulders

The Kola peninsula relief has been formed during a long course of continental development in conditions of steady lifting and overall distribution of crystalline rocks.

Mountains Chuna, Monche and Volchyi have massive set of hills due to high enough stability of main rocks to rotting processes. Erosion, nival and gravitational forms are as a rule assigned to negative land forms. In location of linear depres-sions of river valleys and basinings north-western, north-east-ern and north-south directions are prevailing. Edge fractures of north-south direction are clearly expressed in western foot relief of Chuna and Volchyi mountains.

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One of the stories reflecting threatening natural event – earthquake is found in the Karelian and Finnish epos “Kaleva-la”. Heroic poetry of the old Vyanyameynen contents the fol-lowing lines:

«Insurgent lakes,Copper mountains were shaking,Hard stones were cracking,Cliff was falling from a cliff,Cleves were breaking into pieces».

(Rune 3, 295–300).

According to the text these events and phenomena oc-curred in a mountainous region with numerous cliffs and lakes and embraced a huge part of Karelia and the Kola peninsula.

One more description of an event very similar to an earth-quake which took part in an area of Imandra lake can be met in the Lappish popular epos. A story “How an old Lappish man exorcised an evil spirit” tells us that once upon a time an old Lappish man decided to go to Imandra lake for fish-ing in the night. He only got into a launch as “...large waves diverged across the lake, ...than all of a sudden noise cut the air...”. Heavy thunder woke up the others Lappish people, when “the adjacent mountain Schart-warentsch was also struck by thunder. They went to have a look what was going on. What they saw: the mountain was split into two parts, a road ap-peared in the middle. It was a forest spirit who paved a way for himself when the old man made him run”. The Lappish people connected this event with tricks of evil spirit, as if a forest spirit paved a road through a mountain. However you don’t need to possess any special knowledge to recognize a heavy earthquake in description of this story, given evidence is so typical. Here is a split of a mountain and noise preceding to an earthquake. The story was recorded in June 1912 after words of Vasily Barkhatov and the event described most probably goes back to event of the XIX century. For the first time almost forgot-ten Lappish legend was introduced, identified as a reflection of a seismic activity and preliminary dated by A.A. Nikonov.

A similar split of a mountain in a form of canyon (crevice) formed as a result of strongest ancient earthquake was found by geologists near a southern border of the the Lapland reserve. This canyon was named “paleoseismic dislocation Chuna” and is being a classic example of seismic activities which happened at this territory several thousand years ago (picture 5).

A narrow canyon shielded by upright cliffs from both sides splits a mountain-“varaka” and is clearly shown up among calm landscape surrounding it (picture 6). Rapid “recent” walls sometimes with reversal angle of gradient, numerous rock falls, developed at slope foots and filling bolsom bottom, accu-mulation of tremendous blocks on one another create an im-pression of cliff chaos (picture 7). All this resembles one more “road of forest spirit” described in the Lappish story. Canyon’s depth spreading in the north-south direction for almost one kilometer reaches 30 m and its width ranges from 20 to 40 m in the central part narrowing at the ends up to 3–7 m. Fissure’s morphology and phenomena accompanying it (falls, recent splits, cuts in bench faces) have features of recent dynamic ef-fect of impulsive seismic character.

Force of earthquakes creating such a structure even if not at one stage should have been heavy and secondary irregulari-ties could have been created by 9–10 scores earthquake.

Balance of different relief forms and deposits at the ob-ject and around it let make a conclusion about formation of the canyon itself (primary fracture) when this territory was free from the last ice cover. It happened around 10–11 thou-sand years ago. No aqueoglacial treatment of sides and bot-tom, mismatch of canyon outstretching and ice-flow move-ment direction also says for such a conclusion.

Seismic events took part here in later periods as well, in the Holocene (time period from 10 thousand years ago up to the present time). One of them belongs to the early Ho-locene but has not been dated exactly. Period of another also heavy earthquake can be identified due to several radiocarbon datings of turf beds in the closest points to the canyon. Most probably it occurred 2550 (±150) years ago, i.e. the earthquake happened in the late Holocene.

Similar canyons and splits dissect mountain masses of Chu-na and Volchyi tundra and it is not impossible that they are reflecting powerful earthquakes of the past. Thus, an out-standing Russian natural scientist O.I. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky who dedicated his life to study nature of the Kola peninsu-la has noticed an unusual image of Voronov canyon located in the northern part of Chuna-tundra mass. He paid attention to “massive scrags” which hinder the bottom of the canyon and make it heavy-going. Chain of deep small lakes spread-ing in the bottom of the canyon makes it “amazingly beautiful in a sunny weather”. In the work of G.D. Richter, a scientist, who was carrying out long-term geologic and geomorphologic researches of the European north including territories adjoin-ing to Imandra lake one can find the following characteristic of the canyon in Chuna-tundra mountain mass: “...a flat saddle is located between mountains Ebber-djorr and Rainen-djorr (Mejevaya gora, Boundary mountain), in the east it sharply

Picture 6 Split of the mountain into two parts as the result of the ancient

earthquake. Spurs of Chuna tundras are seen at the background

Picture 7 General view of the canyon, which bottom is filled with acute-angled

blocks testifying the recent renovation of slopes Picture 8

Cliff blocks fragments (“columns”, “feathers”) in gneissogranites separated by fractures from the main mass during a strong ancient earthquake

The Lapland reserve relief is quite dissected. Chain of low and subdued mountains Chuna (Anserine), Monche (Beautiful) and Volchyi are the most remarkable mountains of surrounding landscape in the eastern part of the territory. Maximum topographic elevations of the relief reach 900–1072 m.

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Force of earthquakes creating such a structure even if not at one stage should have been heavy and secondary irregulari-ties could have been created by 9–10 scores earthquake.

Balance of different relief forms and deposits at the ob-ject and around it let make a conclusion about formation of the canyon itself (primary fracture) when this territory was free from the last ice cover. It happened around 10–11 thou-sand years ago. No aqueoglacial treatment of sides and bot-tom, mismatch of canyon outstretching and ice-flow move-ment direction also says for such a conclusion.

Seismic events took part here in later periods as well, in the Holocene (time period from 10 thousand years ago up to the present time). One of them belongs to the early Ho-locene but has not been dated exactly. Period of another also heavy earthquake can be identified due to several radiocarbon datings of turf beds in the closest points to the canyon. Most probably it occurred 2550 (±150) years ago, i.e. the earthquake happened in the late Holocene.

Similar canyons and splits dissect mountain masses of Chu-na and Volchyi tundra and it is not impossible that they are reflecting powerful earthquakes of the past. Thus, an out-standing Russian natural scientist O.I. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky who dedicated his life to study nature of the Kola peninsu-la has noticed an unusual image of Voronov canyon located in the northern part of Chuna-tundra mass. He paid attention to “massive scrags” which hinder the bottom of the canyon and make it heavy-going. Chain of deep small lakes spread-ing in the bottom of the canyon makes it “amazingly beautiful in a sunny weather”. In the work of G.D. Richter, a scientist, who was carrying out long-term geologic and geomorphologic researches of the European north including territories adjoin-ing to Imandra lake one can find the following characteristic of the canyon in Chuna-tundra mountain mass: “...a flat saddle is located between mountains Ebber-djorr and Rainen-djorr (Mejevaya gora, Boundary mountain), in the east it sharply

Picture 6 Split of the mountain into two parts as the result of the ancient

earthquake. Spurs of Chuna tundras are seen at the background

Picture 7 General view of the canyon, which bottom is filled with acute-angled

blocks testifying the recent renovation of slopes Picture 8

Cliff blocks fragments (“columns”, “feathers”) in gneissogranites separated by fractures from the main mass during a strong ancient earthquake

The Lapland reserve relief is quite dissected. Chain of low and subdued mountains Chuna (Anserine), Monche (Beautiful) and Volchyi are the most remarkable mountains of surrounding landscape in the eastern part of the territory. Maximum topographic elevations of the relief reach 900–1072 m.

breaks almost by an upright wall in a deep canyon Lemm- Stchel, dividing eastern parts of these two jads. Canyon’s bot-tom elevated at the height of 350 m above Imandra (480 m of true altitude), totally overwhelmed with huge angular blocks of granite-gneiss which comprise a huge barrier of tens of meters at the exit from the canyon”. G.D. Richter writes that “...this semi-closed canyon’s shape is very similar to many Khibini canyons and probably represents a tectonic fracture”.

Sheers, scrags and freshness of material let assume that activation of these fractures is derived from the post-glacial period. Mountain creep could easily be caused by the Holocene period earthquakes. Similarity with Khibini canyons noticed by G.D. Richter testifies for their seismic origination.

Stone “column” and “ruins” – one more type of impress-ing landscape elements which could be met at the territory of the Lapland reserve (picture 8). They are generally referred to cuspate cliffs not more than 8–12 m high or to sides of deep canyons.

These “columns” sometimes take form of stony “feather” or “ruins” – large fragments of cliff rocks of different shape and size, often separated or shifted from edges from 0.5 to 3–8 m. Inner ruptures from 10 сm to 3.5 m wide, dividing columns from a cliff mass, are frequently broadening upwards. Forma-tion of such relief forms can be caused by earthquakes with intensity of 7 or more scores on the MSK-64 scale.

Mountain creeps and stone falls are equally very impress-ing natural objects – chaotical agglomeration of rock debris of different dimensions and forms (picture 9). Volumes of cer-tain fall bodies can reach several hundreds and even thousands of square meters. They were originated as a result of rock falls in recent split zones. Formation of rock falls could have been caused either by gravitational processes or seismic (seis-mic-gravitational) ones. O.I. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky in his letter to a famous seismologist-geologist A.A. Nikonov has written about recent stone falls (not of avalanching origina-

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tion) happened in June and July of 1949 under sharp inclines of Chuna-tundra mass. Most probably that these stone falls formation was an echo of seismic movements in the Khibini mountains perceptible at the big territory.

The other group of natural geomorphological objects is connected with glacial activities. The most remarkable among them are glacial striation and glaciofluvial drifts of striated pavement type (pictures 10).

Glacial striation (system of thin parallel scratches or scars if scratches are big, which are applied by sand and gravel to hard rocks included in the lower glacial part) can be met in open gneisses, granites and other rocks (often in ice-dressed rocks – surface of crystalline rocks polished by ice-flows) in different areas of the reserve (picture 10).

Striation in form of scratches and scars is often followed by crescentic scars (cuttings) and half-moon fissures normally

Picture 9 Rocky downfall in the zone of the recent dislocation

Picture 10 Glacial scores in gneissogranites, specifying glacial movement direction

oriented to scratches and fissures. Glacial striation along with the other signs is used to define ice movement direction.

Striated pavements. Sometimes aggregation of well-round-ed rubbly material creates so called striated pavements. Their formation is connected with a powerful aqueoglacial flow which has immediately shaped an embankment, degraded an underlying moraine, leaving only large boulders and taking sand-and gravel material outside its borders.

From our point of view, impressing falls and canyons, rock ruins, striated pavements and the other objects and unique landscape complexes shall be given a status of significant nat-ural monuments of the Kola peninsula. They are not only being objects of scientific research, monitoring of hazardous pro-cesses, but also interesting and informative objects for various organized touristic excursions uncovering diversity and beauty of the Kola peninsula.