Region of the Rychlebské hory Mountains - tectonically controlled landforms and unique landscape of granite inselbergs (Sudetic Mountains)
Abstract
The Rychlebské hory Mountains are situated in the north-eastern part of the Bohemian Massif. They are part of Sudetic Mountains, which are divided from Sudetic Foreland by the Sudetic Marginal fault.
Controlling the mountain front for a length of 130 km, the fault is one of the morphologically most striking features in the Bohemian Massif and has been studied by numerous geologists, geomorphologists, and geophysicists for several last decades. Its Pleistocene seismicity was proved by paleoseismological survey and its recent potential seismic threat is shown by minor historical earthquakes.
In contrast to the mountainous relief, the adjacent Žulovská pahorkatina (Hilly Land) forms a unique granite landscape of gently undulated basal weathering surface of etchplain with numerous low exfoliation domes, isolated inselbergs and rock landforms. Middle Pleistocene continental ice-sheet, which reached the area twice - in Elsterian 1 and Elsterian 2, influenced the development of rock forms and caves, the latter ones being shaped by its meltwater into characteristic ""heart-like"" profile.
The glacial deposits were mostly removed, probably due to post-glacial (post-Saalian 1) uplift of the area, which was most probably related to glacioisostatic rebound, and which resulted in mountain front uplift and valley deepening. Striking geomorpho-diversity and its scientific value of the entire area remain attractive for nature-lovers regardless their profession.