CASTALDINI D. & PANIZZA M.
Morfotettonica del lago Baikal e della Tunka Valley (URSS) – Morphoneotectonics of Lake Baikal and the Tunka Valley (U.S.S.R.)
Pages 247-249
Abstract
Lake Baika l fills a rift basin which began its form ation during the Late Ce nozoie and is st ill ex pand ing. In fact, the southwes tern shore of the Baikal h asin corresponds to a high steep tecton ic scarp crea ted by the rejuven ation of an ancient fault zone . Uplifts of approximately 10 mm annually have been recorded recently. The par t of the scarps outcropping abo ve-water is characterized by slopes carved in a system of tri angular and tra pezoid al face ts. The Tunk a Valley is an intermont am: rift valley that ext end s in a W-E direct ion from the western end of Lake Baikal. From a neot ectonic point of view, the lake is a successio n of basi ns that are rath er complex and separated by posit ive st ructures and tecton ic steps . The northern side of the valley is lined with act ive faults that arc characterized by numerous and di st inct geomorphological signs. Manif estations of basaltic volcanism linked to the rifti ng activity have taken place since the Late Cenozoic. The most recent er upt ions occurred approx imately 10,000 years ago.