TITLE:
Karst and Pseudokarst of the West Kazakhstan (Republic of Kazakhstan)
AUTHORS:
Kazhmurat M. Akhmedenov, Dinmuhammed Zh. Iskaliev, Vladim P. Petrishev
KEYWORDS:
Geography; Geomorphology; Relief; Karst; Pseudokarst; Collapses; Suffusion; Denudation-Karst; Karst-Collapsing; Funnel; Ponor; Well; Trough; Keprok; Inder; Kazakhstan
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Geosciences,
Vol.5 No.2,
February
25,
2014
ABSTRACT: An analysis of the
formation of karst and karst-suffosion forms on the territory of the West
Kazakhstan region is presented in this paper. Numerous literary sources were
used as the information database for the analysis of the relief features of the
West Kazakhstan region. Evaluation of the morphometric features of the
collapsed new formations on the basis of materials of our own field research is
presented here for the first time. According to the research objectives there
were defined localization places of the karst-collapsed phenomena where the reconnaissance
field surveys were carried out. Survey points’ localization has been carried
out by means of GPS system with the help of 12-channel GPS-receiver of Garmin
eTrex model. Geoinformational technology, based on MapInfo 9.5 and ArcGIS 9.2
packages was used for the building of the information and cartographic database.
Original thematic maps compiled on the basis of the research results’ analysis
have been obtained in this research. The features of the Caspian Basin’s karst
landscapes, formed as a result of salt-dome tectonic manifestations (Inder
Mountains, Malaya Bogdo Mountain, Bish-Chokho hill) are described in this
paper. The important elements of the Caspian Basin salt-dome landscapes are
landforms of the karst origin from large karst depressions of the
karst-tectonic origin to modern forms of the sulfate karst: sinkholes, wells,
polje, knobs (“Kurgantau”), arches, caves and grottoes. Some karst formations
have a non-salt-dome origin. Three areas with the collapsed forms that have the
karst-suffosion origin have been identified (near Konyr village, Berezovka
village and Zhanatalap village). The mechanism of the sinkholes formation is
due to the changes of the groundwater regime and the displacement of limestone
eluvium as a result of active anthropogenic impacts. The sinkholes occurence
near Zhanatalap village, which is located near the Karachaganak oil and gas
field, is probably due to the anthropogenic initiation of karst-suffosion
processes.