Geological–Geomorphological Types of Islands in the Kandalaksha Gulf, White Sea N

ISSN 01458752, Moscow University Geology Bulletin, 2015, Vol. 70, No. 4, pp. 318–326. © Allerton Press, Inc., 2015. Original Russian Text © N.I. Kosevich, 2015, published in Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Geologiya, 2015, No. 4, pp. 53–61.

Geological–Geomorphological Types of Islands in the Kandalaksha Gulf, White Sea N. I. Kosevich Department of Geography, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia email: [email protected] Received March 13, 2015

Abstract—Based on a detailed geological–geomorphological study of the islands in the Severnyi, Luven’ga, Kuzakotsky, and Keret’ archipelagoes, Kandalaksha Gulf of the White Sea, new original geological–geomor phological maps of each studied island and general maps of each archipelago were made. The geological– geomorphological genetic typing of the islands was developed and graphic visualization of this typing was per formed. An attempt was made to apply the developed typing to other White Sea islands.

Keywords: relief, islands, archipelago, Kandalaksha Gulf, geological–geomorphological genetic typing DOI: 10.3103/S0145875215040079

INTRODUCTION while it is considered obsolete internationally; the The White Sea is characterized by coasts and time span of this period is 1650 to 570 Ma B.P.). This islands that are different in the geological–geomor graben system is called either Onega–Kandalaksha phological sense (Fig. 1); this is of interest to geolo (Baluev et al., 2009a) or Kandalaksha–Dvina (Ave gists and geomorphologists. Many researchers narius, 2004). (Lymarev, 2002; Bulochnikova et al., 2010) believe After the Karelian tectonomagmatic cycle, the that islands that result from interactions between entire region existed as a united cratonic structure. In endogenous and exogenous processes can be a model the Oligocene, the neotectonic stage started in the to study the regularities of the joint effects of these White Sea region (Baluev, 2006; Slabunov, 2009). Iso processes on reliefforming processes. The study of the static rising, which involved the entire Baltic Shield land within the islands is one of the major fields in after glacial melting, largely determines the present marine (island) geomorphology. However, the islands day tectonic evolution of the study area. of the White Sea have been poorly studied and their Two structural stages can be identified in the geo geological–geomorphological typing has not been logical structure of the Kandalaksha Gulf. The first performed. To obtain detailed data on the structure of structural stage is a crystalline basement that is com the White Sea islands, in particular, those of Kan posed of rocks of the White Sea complex (Archean). dalaksha Gulf, the author performed comprehensive Within the study area, this ancient complex is repre geological–geomorphological research at large and sented mostly by biotite, garnet–biotite, amphibole– detailed scales. biotite gneisses, amphibolites, granitic gneisses, alu mina schists, quartzites, and multiple intrusive bodies of different compositions and ages, which pierce the THE TECTONIC SETTING AND GEOLOGIC mentioned rocks. The total thickness of these deposits STRUCTURE OF THE STUDY AREA is 8–10 km. The second structural stage is the cratonic The White Sea is notable for its complex geological cover; it starts from red Riphean sandstones that fill evolution and great variety of natural processes. In the the aulacogens in the crystalline basement and are tectonic sense, the White Sea depression is located at overlain in the southeastern direction by Vendian the junction between the Baltic Shield and the East (approximately Ediacaran) terrigenous deposits. On European Craton. The Kandalaksha Gulf, which is the bottom of the Kandalaksha Gulf, these ancient located in the western White Sea (Fig. 1), coincides rocks are nearly completely covered by young Pleis with the White Sea mobile belt of the Mesoarchean– tocene and Holocene deposits. Paleoproterozoic. The main structural unit that has The presentday White Sea is a young (10–12 ka) determined the tectonic evolution and structure of basin that formed at the end of the Pleistocene. During study area from the Riphean until the present is the the last Valdai glaciation, the entire White Sea depres graben system founded in the Riphean (we note that sion was filled with ice. In the Alleroed, particular the name Riphean is still used by Russian geologists, freshwater lakes occurred on the periphery of the

318 GEOLOGICAL–GEOMORPHOLOGICAL TYPES OF ISLANDS 319

BARENTS SEA

Voronka Bay Kanin coast

Kandalaksha K an t da s t Mezen lak a ai sha co r K co t Bay a as y S r K t k o A e a rs l b li nd e r r

a a Konusha coast an lak T o m sh o c a G st v o Gu a s a lf ki Mezen s o i t c co Kandalaksha as Murmansk oblast ny t im 1 WHITE SEA Z L Dv e ina B co tn ay O a i Arkhangelsk oblast Karelia n s i e t Severodvinsk ga O c P ne o om ga as Arkhangelsk B t or a sk y Omega 2 y c oa st 085170310 km

3

4

Karelia

02550 100 km

Fig. 1. Schematic locations of the study area and sites (archipelagoes): 1—Luven’ga arch., 2—Severnyi arch., 3—Kuzakotsky arch., 4—Keret’ arch. depression. In the late Alleroed, ice sheet destruction of lithologic, genetic, and age composition. The isos started, ocean water penetrated from the side of the tatic rebound, which involved the entire Baltic Shield Barents Sea into the White Sea depression, and the after the melting of the ice sheet, is about 100 m in the subglacial sedimentation regime settled. Sedimenta White Sea region. After the complete loss of the ice tion took place under complex, often contrasting tec sheet, the marine sedimentation regime settled in the tonic movements, which are typical of the White Sea White Sea, with hydrodynamic and biologic factors region. being the lead ones for this regime (Nevesskii et al., Deglaciation of the White Sea depression began in 1977; Rybalko, 2009; Polyakova et al., 2010). Thus, the preBoreal and finished in the early Atlantic peri varying paleogeographic and paleotectonic conditions ods. Deglaciation led to the formation of a sedimen shaped the islands with different geological–geomor tary stratum, which was highly heterogeneous in terms phological characteristics.

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N Lodeinyi Is. Ka n d a l a Korabl’ Luda k s h a G u l Greater and Lesser Demenikha Is. f Peschanka Luda

Voronii Is.

Ryashkov Is.

Voronii islet

Voronka Luda

Greater Gal’muk (Gul’makha) Is.

da Lu aya hn rec pe Kurichek Is. Po 1st

Devich’ya Luda 2nd Poperechnaya Luda

K ar el i 3rd Poperechnaya Luda an

co as t

Greater Lomnishnyi Is.

Lesser Lomnishnyi Is. 350 07001050350 m

Fig. 2. Geologicgeomorphologic map of the Severnyi archipelago.

MATERIALS AND METHODS of Geomorphology and Paleogeography of the Department of Geography of Moscow State Univer The factual basis of this paper is the data that were sity at particular sites of the Kandalaksha and Karelian collected by the author during the expeditions carried coasts of the White Sea. These materials were also aug out over 5 years in the 2007–2013 period by the Chair mented with literature and archive data. Archipela

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ARBITRARY NOTATIONS

(1) Landforms of tidal and surging origin (4) Landforms of joint glacialtectonic, marine, lake, and biogenic origin Boulderpebble beach Lake depressions Sandy beach Swamped sites Silty littoral zone Boulderpebblesandy belt (5) Other notations Marsh Clear geomorphologic boundaries Boulder belt Unclear geomorphologic boundaries Seaward boundary of the littoral zone Coastline (2) Landforms of joint tectonicglacial Isolines of each 10 m and marine (wave action) origin Isolines of each 5 m Contemporary marine terrace (up to 1 m high) Absolute elevation Late Holocene terrace (4–6 m high) Points of the state geodetic network Middle Holocene terrace (14–18 m high) Points of the survey network, referred to the area with stations Information board of the (3) Landforms of joint tectonicglacial, Kandalaksha nature reserve marine, and gravity origin Anthropogenically altered area Subhorizontal and lowinclined bedrock surfaces covered in places with thin loose deposits Slopes inclined by <12° Slopes inclined by >12° Bottoms of depressions, kettles, and grabenlike topographic lows Structuraldenudation residual outcrops Blocky nanorelief (piles of blocks)

Fig. 3. Legend to the geological–geomorphological map. goes that are located in three parts of the Kandalaksha tions and along the coastal zone (within the limits of Gulf that are characterized by different geomorpho tidal zone). The profiles reflected the relief character logic conditions were chosen as the reference sites. and composition of the deposits. The complex of geo The first site is located at the apex of the Kandalak morphologic observations included GPS location of sha Gulf and includes the islands of the Severnyi and the planned observation points and all of the observed Luven’ga archipelagoes. The islands of the Severnyi bends of relief (edges, inner margins, etc), geomor and Luven’ga archipelagoes are located in front of the phologic objects, and local and linear manifestations Kandalaksha and Karelian coasts of the White Sea, of the contemporary exogenous processes, which can respectively. The islands by the Karelian coast form sev not be shown at the scale of the map (tectonic cracks, 1 eral parallel ranges. The islands of the Luven’ga archi breakoff blocks, iskors , erosion furrows, etc). pelago form a line that follows the coastline of the mainland continent. The second site includes the islands In addition, to increase the accuracy of the loca of the Kuzakotsky archipelago, which are located near tion, the spatial positions of the reference line points the Pertsov White Sea Biological Station of Moscow (shorelines, paths, roads, cleared strips, lake levels, State University (WSBS MSU). The third site consists and buildings) were recorded. At each point, GPS data of islands of the Keret’ archipelago located in the sea were recorded and an image of the landscape was ward part of the Chupa Bay (Guba). made. This enabled us to identify the relief levels of dif The collection of detailed data about the geology ferent elevations and to reveal the distribution of con and geomorphology of these islands implied the research and description of contemporary exogenous 1 An iskor (iskor’) is a local name for a phytogenic or phytogenic windfall landform (Bolysov, 2006). An iskor consists of, first, a processes at the reference sites, as well as mapping of mound that is composed of loose sediments that are produced the relief of the islands. The profile surveys were made by the roots of a tree after it falls and, second, a swale (topo on islands in the north–south and east–west direc graphic low) that is adjacent to a mound.

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(a)

Small islands of up to 1 ha in area Luven’ga arch.: Natal’ina, Anisimovskaya, Barzha, Vlada, Vyskochka, Krasotka, Krayushka, Moryanka, Travyanaya, Marine and Travyanaya Litoral’naya ludas accumulative (Footnote 2: Luda is a local name for a greenless rocky islet sometimes appears as part of island name, e.g., Vorotnaya Luda Island.) Severnyi arch.: Peschanka Luda Kuzakotsky arch.: not represented Keret’ arch.: not represented

Luven’ga arch.: Tectonic Dolgaya Korga, Korotkaya Korga, glacial Vysokii, Utenok, Vostochnyi, accumulative Zapadnyi, and Severnyi islands with marine reworking Severnyi arch.: 1st Poperechnaya and 2nd Poperechnaya ludas

Kuzakotsky arch.: not represented

Keret’ arch.: not represented

(b) Small islands of up to 1 ha in area

Luven’ga arch.: not represented

Tectonic Severnyi arch.: Korabl’ and glacial 3rd Poperechnaya ludas denudation with marine reworking Kuzakotsky arch.: not represented

Keret’ arch.: not represented

Fig. 4. Island types (a)–(e) in the Kandalaksha Gulf of the White Sea. temporary exogenic processes within the limits of these and manifestations of exogenous processes at both the relief levels, depending on the slope angles, origin of the observation points and along the route. surface, lithology of exposed rocks, and landscape con In total, 90 routes were passed on the islands of the ditions. After passing the routes, attribute tables were Kandalaksha Gulf. The total number of studied made to record the coordinates of the observation (described) islands is 60, viz., 29 in the Luven’ga archi points, the general features of relief (slope angle and pelago, 16 in the Severnyi archipelago, 11 in the Kuza exposition, absolute elevation), bedrock, landscape, kotsky archipelago, and 4 in the Keret’ archipelago.

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(c) Small islands of 1 to 100 ha in area

Luven’ga arch.: Kozhanikha, Lesser and Greater Tectonic Bliznets, Redkii, Anisimovskii glacial Berezhnoi, Anisimovskii accumulative Golomyannyi, Semenovets, with marine Kamennyi, Gorelyi, and reworking Kruglyi Vlasov islands Severnyi arch.: Voronka Luda

Kuzakotsky arch.: not represented

Keret’ arch.: not represented

(d) Small islands of 1 to 100 ha in area

Luven’ga arch.: Golomyannyi Vlasov, Berezhnoi Vlasov, Greater Kurtyazhnyi, and Lesser Kurtyazhnyi Tectonic islands glacial denudation Severnyi arch.: Voronii, Lodeinyi, with marine Greater and Lesser Lomnishnyi, reworking Lesser and Greater Demenikha, Gul’makha, and Kurichek islands, and Devichya Luda Kuzakotsky arch.: Belye Islands, Kokoikha, Lushkov, Pokormezhnyi, Medvezhii, Kozhameikin, and Yeloyi islands Keret’ arch.: Cheremshikha Is.

(e) Large islands of over 100 ha in area

Luven’ga arch.: not represented

Severnyi arch.: Ryashkov Is. Tectonic glacial denudation Kuzakotsky arch.: Lushov, with marine Berezovyi. amd Kost’yan islands reworking Keret’ arch.: Srednii, Sidorov, and Keret’ islands.

Fig. 4. Contd.

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32°30′ E32°40′ E32°50′ E33°00′ E33°10′ E33°20′ E33°30′ E33°40′ E33°50′ E

K a n d a ba) l (Gu a Bay ks lvitsa h Ko a B Kandalaksha coast a y

(G u ° ′ b 67°00′ N 67 00 N a )

66°50′ N 66°50′ N

K a n d P o a r ’y l a a B a k y

s (G h u b a a ) 66°40′ N G 66°40′ N u l f Karelian coast

66°30′ N 66°30′ N

66°20′ N 66°20′ N Chupa Bay (Guba) 03500700010500 14000 17500 m

32°30′ E32°40′ E32°50′ E33°00′ E33°10′ E33°20′ E33°30′ E33°40′ E33°50′ E

Fig. 5. Geologicgeomorphologic types of islands in the Kandalaksha Gulf.

Analysis and processing of the field and carto and relief genesis of the studied islands being displayed graphic data, as well as deciphering of remote sensing (Fig. 3). data, were made by using ArcGIS 10.1 software. The earlier research by the author (Kosevich, 2012, 2013) revealed landforms of various geneses. These landforms were produced by the joint effects of such RESULTS AND DISCUSSION processes as (1) glacial–tectonic effects and marine wave action, (2) tidal and surge effects; (3) glacial– As a result of the comprehensive studies (analysis of tectonic, marine, and gravity effects, and (4) glacial– the field data and the deciphering of remotesensing tectonic, marine, lake, and biogenic effects. data), geomorphologic maps of the studied archipela The relief structure of the islands has the following goes were made (see an example in Fig. 2). The regularities. First, structures of the Luven’ga archipel explanatory notes to these maps were made in accord ago islands along the Kandalaksha coast are more with morphogenetic principles, with the morphology often landforms that are composed of loose deposits

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Arbitrary notations tion of 16 islands of the Severnyi archipelago by genetic types is as follows: 6.25%, small marine accu Small islands, ≤1 ha in area mulative; 12.5%, small tectonic–glacial–accumula Marine accumulative tive with marine reworking; 12.5 small tectonic–gla cial–denudation with marine reworking; 6.25 for Tectonicglacialaccumulative mediumsized tectonic–glacial–accumulative with with marine reworking marine reworking; 56.25 tectonic–glacial–accumula tive–denudation with marine reworking; and 6.25 for Tectonicglacialdenudation large tectonic–glacial–accumulative–denudation with with marine reworking marine reworking. Among the 11 islands of the Kuza Middle islands, <100 ha in area kotsky archipelago, 72.7% can be categorized as Tectonicglacialaccumulative mediumsized tectonic–glacial–accumulative–denu with marine reworking dation with marine reworking and 27.3% can be catego rized as large tectonic–glacial–accumulative–denu Tectonicglacialdenudation dation with marine reworking. The studied islands of with marine reworking the Keret’ archipelago can be categorized as the types Large islands, >100 ha in area of large and mediumsized tectonic–glacial–accu Tectonicglacialaccumulative mulative–denudation with marine reworking (75% denudation with marine reworking and 25%, respectively).

Fig. 6. Legend to Fig. 5. CONCLUSIONS Analysis of the spatial distribution of the genetic with small sites of structuraldenudation residual out types of islands in the Kandalaksha Gulf revealed that crops. Second, the structures of the islands along the in the apical part of the gulf all genetic types of islands Karelian coast are typically combinations of loose occur, while upon approaching the mouth, one type (tec deposits and bedrock outcrops; structuraldenudation tonic–glacial–accumulative–denudation with marine landforms dominate over the marine and biogenic reworking) becomes predominant (Figs. 5 and 6). landforms in this case. Thus, the relief of islands is a combination of smoothed roundedtop bedrock sur REFERENCES faces (massifs) with subhorizontal sites that are cov ered with loose deposits of a marine origin. Avenarius, I.G., Morphostructure of the White Sea Region, Geomorphol., 2004, no. 3, pp. 48–56. The comprehensive analysis of the distribution of Baluev, A.S., Geodynamics of the Riphean stage in the evo landforms, morphometric characteristics of islands, lution of the northern passive margin of the East Euro and data on the geological–tectonic evolution of the pean Craton, Geotectonics, 2006, vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 183– region (Kosevich and Romanovskaya, 2014) provided 196. the data to perform geological–geomorphological Baluev, A.S., Zhuravlev, V.A., and Przhiyalgovskii, E.S., typing of these islands (Fig. 4). In terms of morpho New data on the structure of the central part of the metric parameters, all islands can be subdivided into White Sea paleorift system, Dokl. Earth Sci., 2009a, three groups: small (≤1 ha), mediumsized (1–10 ha), vol. 427, no. 2, pp. 891–896. and large (≥100 ha). The small islands can be subdi Baluev, A.S., Przhiyalgovskii, E.S., and Terekhov, E.N., vided into three genetic types: marine accumulative, New data on tectonics of OnegaKandalaksha paleorift tectonic–glacial–accumulative with marine rework (The White Sea), Dokl. Earth Sci., 2009b, vol. 425, no. 1, ing, and tectonic–glacial–denudation with marine pp. 249–252. reworking. The genetic types of the mediumsized Bolysov, S.I., Evolyutsiya biogennogo rel’efoobrazovaniya islands are tectonic–glacial–accumulative with (Evolution of Biogenic Relief Formation), Moscow: marine reworking and tectonic–glacial–accumula GEOS, 2006. tive–denudation with marine reworking. The large Bulochnikova, A.S. and Romanenko, F.A., Relief features islands have only one genetic type: tectonic–glacial– of small islands in the Arctic and Far East seas, in accumulative–denudation with marine reworking. Priroda shel’fov i arkhipelagov Evropeiskoi Arktiki. Vyp. 10 (Nature of Shelf Zones and Archipelagos of the Eastern The typing of the studied islands showed that the Arctic. Iss. 10), Moscow: GEOS, 2010, pp. 25–30. distribution of genetic types for the Luven’ga archipel Kosevich, N.I., Geomorphology of islands in the Luvenga ago (30 islands) is as follows: 34%, small marine accu Archipelago, 2011, in Letopis’ Prirody Kandalakshskogo mulative; 20%, small tectonic–glacial–accumulative zapovednika za 2011 god. Kn. 57, T. 1 (The Chronicle of with marine reworking; 30%, mediumsized tec Nature of the Kandalaksha Reserve for 2011, Book 57, tonic–glacial–accumulative with marine reworking; Vol. 1), Kandalaksha, 2012, pp. 27—65. and 13%, mediumsized tectonic–glacial–accumula Kosevich, N.I., Geomorphology of islands in the Luvenga tive–denudation with marine reworking. The distribu and Severny archipelagos, 2012, in Letopis’ Prirody

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