Morphometric Analysis of the Upper Irkut River Territory

Abstract

The article considers the use of morphometric analysis to study the features of the relief formation of the upper Irkut river territory, which includes the territories of small river basins. Various morphometric maps of the territory were obtained based on the revised and hydrologically correct digital elevation model ALOS. Statistical data of morphometric and hydrological indicators were collected; patterns of their distribution over the area of the study region were identified. As a result, four districts were noted within the upper Irkut river territory. The author determined a set of relief tiers and geomorphological processes of relief formation, represented in the territory of small river basins. As a result, the most important role in the development of the erosion network and the transfer of matter among morphometric parameters belongs to the absolute height, steepness and exposure of slopes, which create conditions for the distribution of the relative erosion index, topographic wetness index, plan and profile curvature, as well as a set of altitudinal tiers and differentiation of leading relief-forming processes. The higher the steepness of the slopes and the greater the absolute height, the more intense the exogenous geomorphological processes and the higher the LS-factor. The erosion index reaches a minimum on gentle slopes in the lower relief tiers with the development of cryogenic processes, while the topographic wetness index has maximum values.

Acknowledgements
The work was carried out within the framework of the state order № АААА-А21-121012190017-5 “Morpholithogenesis of Inner Asia: theoretical, methodological and practical aspects of the study".