Tracking sediment provenance and erosional evolution of the western Greater Caucasus

Research reveals that the western Greater Caucasus exhibits a consistent pattern of erosional unroofing, with rates decreasing westward from the central range to the Black Sea. This finding is supported by an integrated analysis combining geomorphological techniques (DEM analysis of stream profiles), thermochronological data (fission-track and cosmogenic-nuclide analyses), and petrographic/heavy-mineral assessments of modern and ancient sediments. The study highlights that areas of high relief, particularly around Mount Elbrus, correspond with regions of rapid exhumation and metamorphic sediment inputs, suggesting that tectonic controls on channel gradients dictate the region's topography. This long-term erosional trend underscores the interplay between crustal shortening, rock uplift, and sediment flux in shaping the orogenic landscape.

Vezzoli, G., Garzanti, E., Vincent, S. J., Andò, S., Carter, A., & Resentini, A. (2014). Tracking sediment provenance and erosional evolution of the western Greater Caucasus. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 39(8), 1101–1114. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3567