The Scandinavian mountains are located. Scandinavian mountains - an extensive network of mountain ranges and numerous full-flowing rivers
Scandinavian Mountains, Scandinavian Highlands - a mountain system located in Norway (western part and northern tip) and Sweden (eastern part). highest heights are located on Norwegian territory in the southern third of the highlands: the city of Galdhøpiggen (2469 m) on the Yutunheimen plateau; the neighboring peak on the same plateau is approximately the same height, the elevation mark is 2405 m to the south-west, and 2340 m to the south.
The highest peaks of the Scandinavian mountains of the Swedish part of the highlands are located much to the north (Kebnekaise, 2123 m; Sarek, 2090 m).
Most of the highlands belong to the Caledonian folding area and are formed by Late Proterozoic igneous and sedimentary-metamorphic rocks, Paleozoic (mainly Cambrian, Ordovician and Silurian) volcanogenic and sedimentary strata (of the latter - slates, sandstones, limestones, etc.). Abundant intrusions.
The tectonic structure of the Scandinavian mountains is characterized by complex folding and cover structures, which are directed towards the bounding highlands with southeast Baltic crystalline shield. Its raised edge is involved in the structure of the Scandinavian mountains in the south and east. Mountain uplifts arose in the Devonian. After that, they were leveled, but in the Neogene and Quaternary period they began to slowly rise again. The uplift was accompanied by faults in the earth's crust. Faulting dislocations play an important role in the formation of the upland relief.
In the Quaternary period, the highlands served as the center of the continental glaciation of Europe. The thickness of the glacier in some places exceeded 1500 m. Its exaration activity led to the processing of elevated peneplainized surfaces - fjelds (fjellis). These surfaces are sometimes crowned with groups of pointed peaks - nunataks. It was believed that all nunataks rose above the ice sheet, but it was found that in some cases they were covered with ice and not everywhere they are true nunataks. Glacial exaration also owes the appearance of smoothed rocky hills - sheep's foreheads and numerous hollows with lakes and swamps. Continental glaciation, when reduced, passed on both slopes of the highlands into valley glaciation, fed by the remaining ice sheets of watershed surfaces.
A sharp contrast to the fjelds of the watershed part of the highlands is the strongly dissected West Coast. There are numerous trough valleys developed by glaciers, which descended from the drive-separated surfaces towards the coast. They pass into the upper reaches of narrow sea bays - fjords - with high and steep rocky shores. Their directions and outlines are predetermined by tectonic faults. These are also trough valleys processed by glaciers, which are flooded (in the lower parts) by sea waters.
Fluvioglacial and alluvial terraces are observed in the main valleys, tied to the levels of marine terraces. In areas of limestone distribution, various karst phenomena are found. The leading role in modern relief formation belongs to erosion, and in the upper tier of the Scandinavian mountains - the activity of snow (including avalanches) and ice.
The eastern slope of the highlands is more flatter than the western one. Glaciers also descended along it from the watershed fields, which developed numerous trough valleys and hollows occupied by lakes, which are elongated in the direction of ice movement to the east-southeast and southeast. Tectonic ledge facing the Baltic crystalline shield and Baltic Sea, the highlands are separated here from the Norland Plateau, which occupies the elevated margin of this shield (up to 800 m abs. alt.). Its step is inclined to the east-southeast, it is a denudation plain with lakes, moraine hills and remnants of solid crystalline rocks - monadnoks processed by the mainland glacier.
In the north, the Scandinavian mountains pass into the low (300-500 m) hilly Finnmarken plateau with individual peaks exceeding 1000 m (Chuokkarassa, 1139 m).
The western and eastern slopes of the uplands are sharply different in terms of climate. The climate of the Norwegian coastal slopes is humid maritime, very mild, with anomalous warm winter due to the bringing of warm air from the ocean by cyclones and the warming effect of the North Atlantic Current.
In the north, along the outer banks Lofoten Islands, in January, the temperature anomaly compared to the average latitude temperature is +24° and is the largest in the world. The climate of the eastern slopes of the highlands is less humid and more continental, with significant contrasts between summer and winter.
Due to the large meridional extent of the Scandinavian Mountains, significant differences are created between south and north. Naturally, there is a great difference in the climate of the coast and the eastern foot of the mountains, on the one hand, and the strip of severe highlands, on the other.
The average January temperature on the Atlantic coast is from +2° in the south to -4° in the north, in July - respectively from 14 to 8° - summer, therefore, is cool.
In the upper Scandinavian mountain range average temperature in January it drops to 16°, in July - to +8, +6°. Abundant precipitation (over 1000 mm, in the upper tier of mountains up to 4000 mm/year and more) in more fall out in the autumn-winter half-year and in a smaller one - in the spring-summer. On the eastern slope of the highlands precipitation is less than 1000 mm/year, in the rain shadow area behind the highest elevations of the Norwegian part of the mountains - less than 500 mm/year, in the north, in Finnmark - 300-800 mm.
The humid maritime climate and the ruggedness of the surface of the Scandinavian Highlands determine the considerable density of the river network. Rivers for the most part short, but relatively high-water, with rapids and waterfalls. Their food is rain and snow, partly glacial. There are numerous lakes, the basins of which are predominantly of tectonic-glacial origin.
About 3060 sq. km of the surface of the highlands is covered with ice sheets, as well as mountain-valley glaciers. There are hanging, cirque and transitional glaciers. ice sheets and ice caps cover high mountain plateaus - fields. Such glaciers in our country are referred to as the Scandinavian type, while Norwegian authors call this type "Norwegian". In terms of the area of modern glaciation, the Scandinavian mountains are in first place among the mountains. mainland Europe. Permafrost, even in the north, in Lapland and Finnmark, is rare, apparently only in some swamps.
Despite the favorable climate, the flora and fauna of the Scandinavian Highlands, as well as the entire Scandinavian Peninsula, are poor in species. This is due to the fact that during the last glaciation (about 25 thousand years ago) almost their entire area was covered with ice. Plant and animal organisms relatively recently populated the territory freed from ice and, moreover, found here homogeneous large areas edaphic conditions.
On the slopes of the Scandinavian mountains absolute altitude 1000-1100 m in the south and 300-600 m in the north there is a mountain forest high-altitude zone. In the south, it includes belts with massifs of broad-leaved (beech, oak) and mixed forests on burozems and soddy-podzolic soils (common up to a height of 300-400 m). These forests include areas of northern European deciduous and mixed forests.
In the south above mixed are located coniferous forests on mountain-podzolic soils, to the north starting from sea level and from the eastern foot of the Scandinavian mountains. These forests are combined with the boreal coniferous region. They are dominated by spruce and pine, an admixture of birch and aspen is common. Although in coastal areas with a maritime (oceanic) climate, woody vegetation, as a rule, does not penetrate far to the north; in Scandinavia, a positive winter temperature anomaly and the sufficiency of summer heat allow pine forests spread above 70 ° N. sh. In the north, pine is mixed with birch, and in places, on sandy-pebble terraces, pure pine forests grow.
In the polar coastal areas of the Scandinavian mountains, conifers are disappearing, but the hardy mountain birch reaches tree size in the northernmost valleys. She dresses the slopes of the fjords in the Narvik region and to the north, thanks to which northern fjords have a friendly, rather than stern appearance in summer. To the south of this birch, light forests and crooked forests are formed at the upper border of the forest (on dwarf dry peat podzols), occupying 150-200 m vertically. On the western slopes of the uplands, due to high moisture content, the forest alternates with massifs of heaths and peat bogs or is replaced by them.
Above the forest line, there are Scandinavian mountain tundras with moss-lichen and herbaceous-shrub vegetation (with bushes of willow, dwarf birch, crowberry) and meadows used as summer pastures. Above them are bare rocks, devoid of higher vegetation, and further glaciers.
In the Subarctic and Arctic ( north coast) areas, even with a small amount of summer precipitation, long-melting snows provide plants with moisture, but the growing season is short. Low-growing shrubs dominate there, mainly dwarf birch, as well as meadow and moss-lichen tundra and forest-tundra (with rare birch undergrowth) vegetation.
Elk, wolf, fox, lynx, hare, etc. live in the forests of the Scandinavian mountains, in the south - red deer, roe deer. Lemmings and arctic foxes are typical for the tundra; reindeer graze on the Finnmarken plateau and south of it and in the mountain tundra. The spectrum of altitudinal zonality of the landscapes of the Scandinavian mountains includes, first of all, the mountain-forest zone with belts of broad-leaved and mixed (only in the south), coniferous, birch forests and birch crooked forests. Higher are the zones of mountain meadow-tundra (with belts of shrub tundra and rocky meadow-tundra) and meadows; then rocky, nival-glacial.
Ores of iron, copper, zinc, lead, titanium, molybdenum, niobium, and pyrite are mined in the Scandinavian mountains. There are large reserves of hydropower, which operate numerous, mostly small, hydroelectric power stations, especially in the south of Norway. Forest resources are utilized in the woodworking and pulp and paper industries.
The area of arable land relative to the entire area of the mountains is negligible, but mountain meadows are used as pastures, and mountain tundras are used as reindeer pastures. The population is dominated by Norwegians and Swedes, from the national minorities in the north live the Sami (Lappers) and Kvens (Norwegian Finns). The population density is extremely low.
Nature and its development by man
The Scandinavian mountains stretch for 1800 km across the entire Scandinavian Peninsula (Northern Europe) from northeast to southwest along the western and northwestern sides of the peninsula, bordering the coast of Scandinavia. Their southern border runs along 58 s. sh. In the north, the mountains pass into the Finnmarken plateau, which lies at 69 ° N. sh. East End The Scandinavian mountains are adjacent to the Norland Plateau. In the distant past, the outlines of this mountain range partly resembled the outlines of the Alps with their steep, sharp ridges, but over time they acquired a different look, more characteristic of typical ancient mountains.
Today's Scandinavian mountains no longer form a continuous chain of ranges. Former ridge broke up into a myriad of plateaus (fjelds), rising a little more than 1000 m above sea level.
These are elongated plateaus, gently sloping in the east and steep in the west, where they break off sharply off the coast of the Norwegian Sea. They are very wide and, the farther to the east, the more destroyed by rivers and weathering.
The highest point in the Scandinavian mountains is called Galdhöppigen (2469 m). This mountain belongs to the Jotunheimen massif, which lies in the southern part of the system.
Due to the powerful movements of the blocks of the earth's crust, significant depressions in the relief were formed on the territory of Scandinavia, which appear as tectonic valleys.
They dissect mountain country, thereby breaking the fields into separate groups - mountain ranges. Within some valleys, along which the rivers have laid their beds, they invade sea waters, forming the famous fjords. It's far reaching into the land sea bays surrounded by very steep rocky cliffs, sometimes as high as 100 m. In the Scandinavian mountains within Sweden is located national park Sarek (Lapland), founded in 1909. The area of \u200b\u200bthis park is 1940 km², on its territory there are more than 90 mountains above 1800 m, the highest of them is called Sarektyakka (2089 m). 100 mountain glaciers and rivers with many waterfalls are considered decoration of the picturesque area.
Origin and age
The Scandinavian mountains arose in the Caledonian era of mountain building (the so-called time of active geological processes throughout the globe from 420 to 390 million years ago). The earth's crust then rose like never before and formed incredible mountain ranges. For the first time, elevations arose on the planet, significantly exceeding 2000 m above sea level.
Extensive ancient glaciation Scandinavian mountains, associated in the past with continental ice, led to the fact that local soils froze to a considerable depth, reaching in places a mark of several tens of meters.
Such were the Scandinavian mountains, united in a mighty mountain system with the ridges of Great Britain, Svalbard and North America, since all this land was at that time enclosed in a single array.
During the last ice age, the Scandinavian mountains served as the center of European glaciation, from here gigantic ice tongues descended onto the plains of France, Germany and Russia. covered Scandinavia ice sheet with a thickness of over 3000 m. The glacier continuously destroyed the Scandinavian mountains: it significantly lowered them, cut them into U-shaped valleys. Granite fragments of mountains in the form of boulders were carried by ice tongues over great distances. These boulders can be found even in the suburbs.
The Scandinavian mountains are classified as low and are located on the territory of Sweden and Norway. With an area of 1700 by 1300 kilometers they are the largest mountain range in Northern Europe.
West Side The mountain range consists of hundreds of sheer cliffs that break into calm waters North Sea. This part of the Scandinavian Mountains is known mainly due to the most beautiful fjords, millions of aesthetes and lovers come to admire the beauties of which every year. active rest. In this part of the highlands is Mount Galhepiggen, which, with a height of 2469 meters, is the highest point in Scandinavia. The exact coordinates of Gal'khepiggen are 61°38?00? northern latitude, 8°18?00? east longitude. The eastern branch of the Scandinavian Mountains, localized on the territory of Sweden, includes low mountain peaks, smoothly turning into the Norland plateau. Here, the Swedish pride of Kebnekaise (2111 m.)
It is believed that the Scandinavian mountains formed 520-480 million years ago. This happened as a result of the collision of the two most ancient continents Gondwana and Laurasia. Modern look Mountain chain acquired as a result of the movement of Europe's largest glacier, which formed hundreds of fjords and vast horseshoe-shaped valleys.
To preserve the untouched landscapes in Swedish Lapland, the Sarek nature reserve was established in 1909. protected area included about 100 peaks, the height of which ranges from 1800 to 2000 meters, several glaciers, as well as countless waterfalls, fast mountain rivers and picturesque gorges.
Up to a mark of 1000 meters, the slopes of the Scandinavian mountains are covered with taiga pine and spruce forests, and in the south - mixed and broad-leaved forests. The temperate climate in the southern part of the chain is replaced by a subarctic climate in the north. Roe deer, reindeer, foxes, hares, elk, hazel grouse, capercaillie, black grouse live in the mountains, and the mountain slopes are also actively used by local residents for grazing domestic animals. Fishing is established in coastal areas, oil production and mining are developed. The valleys of the Scandinavian mountains included dozens of ski modern ski resorts. In 1994, the resort of Lillehammer hosted the Winter Olympic Games.
Video: In the mountains of Norway - highest peak Scandinavia - Mount Galdhopiggen - 2469 m.
Northern Europe, with a total length of 1700 km and a width of 1300 km, is called the Scandinavian Mountains. West Side mountain slopes approaches forming sheer and steep coasts, peninsulas, capes, islands. The steepness and inaccessibility of the mountains are proved by 178 tunnels laid on the section of the Oslo-Bergen railway (Norway).
The eastern part gradually declines and passes into the Norland Plateau. The Scandinavian mountains are highlands, which consist of separate elongated ridges, plateaus, and intramountain depressions. In many places there are leveled surfaces, cut by deep fjords and valleys. The modern relief was formed due to water erosion, the activity of ice, wind and snow.
The mountain range forms numerous fjords, which were formed under the influence of the movement of glaciers. These are sea bays, deeply cutting into the territory of the land, with high rocky shores. As a rule, the depth of the Scandinavian fjords reaches one kilometer.
It is believed that the Scandinavian mountains are low. The maximum peak - Mount Galkhepiggen with a height of 2469 m - is located on the southern slope of the mountain system, on highest point Sweden - Mount Kebnekaise (2111 m) - located in the northern part of the peninsula. mountain system Scandinavia is covered with glaciers, which are considered the largest in the European part. The climate in these parts is temperate, only in the strip extreme north- subarctic.
On the territory of Sweden, in the Scandinavian mountains (in Lapland), there is a large national reserve"Sarek". It was founded in 1909 and covers an area of 194,000 hectares. This area contains over 90 mountain peaks height from 1800 meters. Among them mountain rivers, waterfalls, gorges and 100 glaciers.
The Scandinavian mountains are penetrated by a dense river network, which is formed by the predominance of wet and intense dissection. mountain range. Rivers, as a rule, are short and full-flowing, full of waterfalls and countless rapids. Their maximum filling begins in the spring, mainly from melting snow and heavy rains, less often from glaciers. Due to the high speed of the current, ice does not form on the rivers in winter. These mountains in Europe have a large number of lakes of tectonic-glacial origin.
Where the height of the mountains reaches 1000 meters in the southern part and up to 500 meters in the northern part, the slopes are covered with coniferous taiga forests. Forest western slopes alternates with shrub vegetation and peat bogs. In these parts, pines and spruces predominate. Beyond these heights, a belt of birch sparse forests extends to a height of 200 m, which is replaced by a zone of mountain tundra. locals in the summer they use this area for grazing livestock.
In the eastern part of the mountains, broad-leaved trees predominate, and the fauna of the Scandinavian mountains is represented by hares, foxes, elk, squirrels, roe deer, and seals. Among the birds in the forests there are hazel grouse, black grouse, capercaillie, sea coast and lakes - waterfowl. in sea and river waters there are many commercial fish.
The Scandinavian mountains are rich in deposits of ores of pyrites, copper, iron, lead and titanium. In the North Sea, in the shelf part, there are oil reserves.
