Aspects of Quaternary relief evolution of Miocene volcanic areas in Hungary: A review

Abstract

Quaternary relief evolution of various volcanic areas in Hungary has been determined by (a) the original volcanic succession and related, primary landforms and (b) the subsequent postvolcanic tectonism and erosion. This overview presents some details of these processes through selected relief types from the Miocene volcanic mountains of Hungary: the High Börzsöny erosional caldera rim, the Rocks of Vadálló-kövek, the Dobogókõ Ridge, the Danube Bend area, and the badlands and fairy chimneys of the southern foreland of the Bükk Mts, by showing different volcanic relief types, and postvolcanic tectonic, paleogeographic and erosional history. In the Quaternary, the tectonic transformation of these and other volcanic areas has been highly variable; in contrast, erosional processes of the Quaternary, i.e. pedimentation, loess and other eolian sedimentation, derasion, periglacial relief formation, and channel erosion, have affected almost all areas in Hungary; hence types and rates of erosion can be well constrained.