KELI VOLCANIC HIGHLAND (CENTRAL GREATER CAUCASUS)

Abstract

The Kel volcanic plateau is formed by a compact group of more than 25 independent eruption centers, on the site of which volcanoes with numerous streams of lavas of different lengths arose. All of them are connected with the system of young sublatitudinal and submeridional discontinuous disorders. All lava flows and individual volcanic cones are clearly associated with elements of an different ages, mainly late-Quaternary relief and possess good preservation of primary forms. Lava flows of the Nepiskalo volcano flowed from above into the valley of the river Baidara, when the valleys of the river Beloye Aragviessche did not exist. This indicates a very vigorous growth of the Main Caucasian ridge in the area of the Krestovsky Pass. The valley of the river Terek is strongly over-deepened (about 200 m) in the place where it changes its latitudinal flow to meridional.