From the Editors
Abstract Generated abstract
This editorial note introduces the posthumous publication of M. A. Usov’s unfinished article, “The Geotectonic Theory of the Self-Development of the Earth’s Matter,” found among his papers after his death. It explains the manuscript’s condition, including its partly outline-like form, its planned sections, and the apparent absence of a final conclusion, while noting that the editors supplied bibliographic clarifications for references left incomplete by the author. The note justifies publication in the Kuznetsk collection by emphasizing that Usov’s geotectonic theory was developed largely from his studies of Kuzbass and neighboring Siberian regions.
Full Text
From the Editors
Despite a grave illness, M. A. Usov did not cease working even in the days immediately preceding his death. In his portfolio there was found the manuscript of an almost completed, partly outline-form article written at Belokurikha—“The Geotectonic Theory of the Self-Development of the Earth’s Matter.” A copy of this manuscript was kindly given to us by the wife of the deceased, E. F. Usova.
Below we publish this article, since in it Mikhail Antonovich’s views on the self-development of the Earth’s matter—views that he pursued in all his works—are summed up and clearly formulated.
In the manuscript the development of the subject is preceded by a plan of the work, which outlined 14 sections. But in the work itself, after section 14, a 15th is also outlined; in it Mikhail Antonovich evidently intended to provide a conclusion, but did not manage to do so.
In presenting the subject, Mikhail Antonovich makes a number of references to authors, indicating in parentheses the pages of individual works. Since the manuscript did not give the exact titles of the works cited, in the notes we provide the corresponding additions, indicating the authors, the works, and the years of their publication.
Despite the theoretical character of the article, we publish it in the Kuznetsk collection, since the geotectonic theory was developed by Mikhail Antonovich chiefly on the basis of the study of Kuzbass and the adjoining regions of Siberia.