Home – Home – Jornals – Russian Geology and Geophysics 2003 number 12

Analysis of the dynamics of development and the state of the art of regional geological research in Russia, in particular geological mapping, shows that the situation comes to a crisis. A multiscale geologo-geographic system is proposed as a stabilizing factor. Modified serial (regional) legends for medium- and small-scale national geological maps can serve as the informational core of this system. They systematize the recent regional geological data for the territory of Russia. To fulfill this function, the existing serial legends require a unified approach to the structurization of the information on geological structure and minerogenic potential of regions. The modified serial legends, jointly with geological maps, can be used as multilevel regional geoinformation systems, GIS, integrated into the single national system of Russia. A set of concepts, terms, and standard procedures is proposed for ranking of mappable units, geological zoning of areas (regionalization), and generalization of geologically mappable units as the map scales change from large through small to general. To improve the All-Russian system of mappable units, it is reasonable to make a more active use of formational analysis in the practice of present-day geological mapping.