Normal fault splays, relay ramps and transfer zones in the central part ofthe Baikal rift basin: Insight from digital topography and bathymetry

A Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of the Baikal rift basin and adjacent rift shoulders has been made from 1/200.000 digitised topographic and bathymetri c maps. It is used as a means for visualisation of the detailed topography and bathymetry in morphotectonic investigation of rift basin formation in t he Baikal Rift Zone. The morphology of both aerial and underwater structure s is best expressed by a combination of coloured maps, according to the rel ative altitude and shaded relief maps with artificial illumination. The DEM is used for a detailed morphostructural and tectonic analysis of the centr al part of the Baikal rift basin. Relay ramps and normal fault splays of di fferent scales are clearly shown. They illustrate rift segment interaction during rifting propagation. In addition, the structure of the large scale O lkhon - Academician Ridge, a partly underwater transfer zone between the Ce ntral and North Baikal basins, is highlighted. The digital morphology helps to visualise these structures in three dimensions and to define precisely the linking mode between fault segments and rift basins.