Environmental and Anthropogenic Factors in the Development of Geodynamical Processes in Racha

Abstract

The work describes and assesses the main physical-geographical and anthropogenic factors in the development and characteristic activation of geodynamic processes in Racha. The morphometric (hypsometric, mountain sloping, slope aspect) values are calculated and described. The paper also touches on the quantitative data that give the characteristics of the relief, climate, soil and vegetation cover and influence the development and activation of geodynamical processes. For studying the tasks mentioned above, we selected the mountainous region – Racha (municipalities of Ambrolauri and Oni). For the studies, together with literary material and different sources, we used cartographic material, the landscape maps (1970, 1983) and the topographic map (scale; 1:100 000) of Georgia and Transcaucasia and the observation materials of the field expedition made in 2019-2021 in Racha. Racha is a mountainous region characterized by complex relief and geological structure. Here, nearly all kinds of hazardous geodynamical processes such as landslides, mudflows, erosion, rock flows, avalanches, karst and suffosive phenomena are observed, though the most frequent are landslides, mudflows erosive processes and washing-off of river banks. The activation of the geodynamical process and the hazard of large-scale development of gravitational phenomena are extremely increased because the whole region territory is prone to earthquakes of intensity VII-IX. Among the most critical factors in geodynamical processes are geological, geomorphological, climatic, and anthropogenic factors. The data on the triggering factors of the main geodynamical processes – erosion, landslide, mudflow, etc. in Racha are given in the tables and diagrams of the paper.