RESULTS OF PHYSICAL-GEOGRAPHY RESEARCH IN FOREIGN STATES BY STAFF OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY CATHEDRA
Authors: Shuisky Yu. D. , Vykhovanetz G. V. , Stoyan A. A. , Murkalov O. B. , Organ L. V. 
Published: July 2024

Problem Statement and Purpose. This work is dedicated to the renowned scientist in the field of physical geography, geobotanist, climatologist, geomorphologist, Professor Sergei Tikhonovich Belozorov (1903–1970). He authored several textbooks and instructional books, as well as numerous articles. One of his teachers was one of the founders of modern geography, Academician G. I. Tanfiliev. A grateful student dedicated several books analyzing his scientific work to his Teacher. Professor Belozorov participated in the World War II and received military awards. From 1963 to 1970, he headed the Department of Physical Geography, where he worked for almost 45 years. The article analyzes the geographical coverage and most important results of the research conducted by the staff of the Department of Physical Geography, Nature Management, and GIS Technologies at Odessa I. I. Mechnikov National University. The aim of the work is to analyze and summarize the results of the department’s research beyond the borders of Ukraine, in other countries worldwide, mainly in Europe, Asia, and America. This allowed obtaining important factual material on the results of research on coastal zones of seas, water erosion processes, Aeolian morpholithogenesis, development of river mouths (mostly deltas), etc.
Data & Methods. The materials for this article were published materials of the department’s researchers, personal memories. The results of long-term research on the seashores of thirty seas and three oceans are analyzed. As auxiliary materials for comparisons, materials of some other researchers were used. The analysis and general scientific positions are based on the theory of modern general geography. In the process of working on this article, a general scientific methodology used in similar works was applied. The most important methods included synthesis of diverse information, analysis of works from the coasts of each country, dialectical, historical, logical, comparative-geographical, and informational methods.
Results. The results of the research conducted by the department’s staff outside Ukraine can be grouped as follows: a) scientific and scientific-methodical; b) educational; c) production and practical-engineering. The largest volume of materials and obtained results were from research conducted on the coasts of oceans and seas. This allowed gaining an understanding of the diversity of coastal-marine systems. A wide variety of coastal-marine systems at the «ocean-land» interface were studied. This was crucial for the further development of coastal studies theory, scientific principles about abrasive, accumulative, aeolian, anthropogenic processes, and the importance of non-wave factors in coast development in various physiogeographic conditions. It became possible to use new terminology: «wave processing layer», «eolian discharge coefficient», «intermediate accumulation process», etc. The development of theoretical and methodological approaches enabled the compilation of morphology and dynamics maps of several seas’ coasts. Some of the data were used in Oceanographic Atlases published in Ukraine. The experience of coastal protection measures against wave erosion was studied. A portion of the department’s staff work abroad was dedicated to engineering issues. In particular, special research was conducted in western Ethiopia as part of a project to create a reservoir on the Gambela River. Research was conducted on the Sulina Estuary on the Black Sea coast. Significant attention was given to the international experience of geographical education in foreign universities. Educational connections were established with a number of universities. Scientific articles were published. Specialists from Germany, Bulgaria, China, the United States, Australia, and other countries underwent internships. Thanks to participation in international projects, the department was able to initiate and develop a separate direction – geoinformation technologies, their application in education and production affairs. All of this contributed to the positive development of physical geography at a leading university of the classical type, improvement in the training of geographer specialists, and the optimization of natural resource using and territorial organization.