Geotectonic hypotheses: positive aspects and unsolved problems.
The positive aspects of the conception of abyssal matter differentiation, contractional, pulsating, and asthenolithic hypotheses are considered as the constituents of the forthcoming tectogenesis theory. The latter should take into account the pulsations of the Earth's thermal field, the role of phase change, matter decompression and contraction (the most important sources of stress), gravitation, diapirism, isostasy, compensating flows, the ways of interaction between the mantle and crust, the influence of the space factor on the tectosphere development. The unsolved questions and shortcomings of the hypotheses are mainly due to the fact that dynamic consequences of the transformation of abyssal matter density are underestimated or even ignored (plate tectonics); they are also resulted from the initial concepts on the primary and dominating role of either horizontal or vertical tectonic forces and movements.