PAVLO STEFANOVICH VORONOV — OUTSTANDING POLAR GEOLOGIST (to the 100th anniversary of birth)

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the outstanding geologist-polar explorer of the USSR, an outstanding naturalist, doctor of geological and mineralogical sciences, Professor Pavel Voronov in the light of 100th anniversary of his birth celebration. The main stages of the scientist’s life, his achievements in studying the geology of a lot of regions of the Arctic Ocean are considered. The contribution of the scientist to the research of geology, tectonics, geography, geomorphology and glaciology of the southern hemisphere of our planet was especially noted. In the 40th-50th years of the last century P.S. Voronov participated in the work of the first and second Russian expeditions in Antarctica. The scientist carried out reconnaissance geological and geomorphological studies of the observatory area, the Bunger oasis, based on hydrographic measurements from the board of the expeditionary vessel «Ob» and analysis of the configuration of the Antarctic coast, for the first time in the world, he established the existence of coastal faults located around East Antarctica. Numerous flights on IL-12 aircraft allowed P.S. Voronov to explore the mountain ranges of Antarctica along the Antarctic Circle. He clarified the position of the Denman glacier and carried out comprehensive geological, geomorphological and tectonic studies in Antarctica. On various issues of geology, geomorphology, glaciology and tectonics of Antarctica, he published more than 60 scientific papers, many of which are pioneering and have retained their relevance to the present day. Professor P.S. Voronov is widely known in the former USSR and abroad for his research in the field of space and geodynamics, tectonics and planetary geomorphology of the Earth’s continents and sea areas. Scientist has written more than 250 scientific works, including 12 monographs. His main works reveal questions about the patterns of morphometry of the Earth’s global relief, the role of the Earth’s rotational forces, the principles and role of shear tectonics in the structure of the Earth’s lithospheres and terrestrial planets. In 2004, the Cambridge International Biographical Center introduced the name of P.S. Voronov to the collection «Living Legends».

Keywords

• mountain systems
• glaciers
• relief and structure of the earth
• deep tectonic processes
• faults
• shear zones