Lineaments in the central part of the Moscow Syneclise and their relations to faults in the basement

Abstract

It is well known that very few young faults have been recorded within the vast territories of ancient platforms that are overlain by a virtually undeformed sedimentary cover of Phanerozoic sediments. At the same time, interpretation of topographic maps of various scales, aerial photographs, and satellite images reveals predominantly linear and occasionally arcuate zones (lineaments), some of which coincide with large fracture zones related to the Riphean rifts and grabens in the platform basement. Elevated emanations of hydrogen, radon, helium, and other gases were detected over some of the lineaments, thus indicating anomalous permeability of these zones in comparison with the adjacent areas. An opinion was stated that the elevated permeability of these fault zones is provided by block vibrations as a response to lunisolar tide effects. The lineaments are of a great environmental significance because they are conduits of groundwater migration. The origin of lineaments in the platform sedimentary cover and their relations to structural elements in the basement, to evolution, and to causes of activity have provoked great interest.