Geophysical processes and biosphere: article

Аnnotation: A fractal analysis of the hydrological network relief constructed using a digital model was carried out within the bounds Kerch Peninsula using different ranges of scales. As a result, local variations in the fractal dimension ranging from one to 1.53 were revealed. Structural-geomorphological analysis of this territory allowed identifing the newest structures of different orders. Comparison of the results of structural-geomorphological and fractal analyzes showed correlation between them. For larger (about 10 km) averaging windows, the relationship, determined by other authors, between the value of the hydrological network fractal dimension and the direction of movements is confirmed: higher values of D correspond to the uplifts, and smaller ones correspond to the depressions. This correlation is due to the fact that within the zones of neotectonic uplifts active rebuilding the drainage system, formation of new channels and valleys, and branching of the streams take place. Our essay also revealed that fractal analysis is subjected to the effect of scale. For averaging windows of a smaller (less than 10 km) size a correlation with structures of a smaller scale is revealed. If the scale of the analyzed hydrological network does not change, the minima of the fractal-dimensional field correspond to the uplifts, and the maxima - to the valleys. This is a scale-effect of the data, which must be taken into account in the further method development. On general, the study showed the prospects of the fractal approach application for the quantitative analysis of the hydrological network pattern during investigation of the latest movements.