CHARACTERISTICS OF MODERN HORIZONTAL MOVEMENTS IN THE CENTRAL SECTOR OF THE GREATER CAUCASUS ACCORDING TO GPS OBSERVATIONS DATA AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NEWEST TECTONICS AND DEEP STRUCTURE OF THE CRUST

Abstract

The article highlights the results of the first performed GPS-measurements along the geodetic profile crossing all the main geological structures in the Ossetian region of the greater Caucasus.The interpretation of the measurement results was performed in comparison with the results of neotectonic studies and data on the deep structure.The maximum decrease in the current transverse velocity of compression rates is recorded in the area of the highest rise to the earth’s surface of the low quality volume of the earth’s crust, which has a bursting effect on the entire mountain structure.The presence of significant transverse displacements of the surface reflects the shear component along the largest faults of the Caucasian strike.The previously predicted significant decrease in the rate of horizontal movements at the end of the aftershock process of the catastrophic Racha earthquake of 1991 on the southern slope of the greater Caucasus was fully confirmed.