Chersky Range

Lore & Background

The range lies on the boundary between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. Its precise tectonic nature is still debated: by the 1980s it was considered a zone of continental rifting, but the current view is that it is mostly an active suture zone where compression occurs.

Reader's Guide

The Chersky Range is significant as a major mountain system in northeastern Siberia, forming a key geographic and tectonic boundary. The range's tectonic position on the boundary between the Eurasian and North American plates makes it an important area for studying continental rifting and compression, though the exact nature of the boundary remains under investigation. Its glaciers and alpine relief contribute to the hydrology of the region, feeding three major river systems. The Chersky Range, along with the Verkhoyansk Range, moderates the climate of Siberia by obstructing west-moving air flows, reducing snowfall in the plains to the west.

Did You Know?

• The range lies on the boundary between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates.
• The range is listed in the source as 1,500 km (930 mi) long, as a section of the East Siberian System of mountains.