Contemporary Tectonic Movements of the Western Caucasus and the Ciscaucasia Based on Satellite-Geodetic Observations

Milyukov V. K., Mironov A. P., Ovsyuchenko A. N., Gorbatikov A., Steblov G. M., Korzhenkov A. M., ...Daha Fazla

GEOTECTONICS, cilt.56, sa.1, ss.41-54, 2022 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 56 Sayı: 1
  • Basım Tarihi: 2022
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1134/s0016852122010058
  • Dergi Adı: GEOTECTONICS
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), Geobase, INSPEC
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.41-54
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: North Caucasus, Ciscaucasia, modern movements of the Earth's crust, geodynamics, satellite geodesy, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), GREATER CAUCASUS, CONVERGENCE, CONSTRAINTS, VELOCITIES
  • Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

The paper presents the velocity field of the Western Caucasus and Ciscaucasia based on GNSS observations. In the ITRF2014 reference frame, this field shows the coordinated movement of the region in the north-northeast direction at an average rate of 27-28 mm/year. A number of geodynamic features of the main tectonic structures of the region are identified with respect to fixed (immobile) Eurasia. In the northern part of the region, a fan-shaped pattern of horizontal velocity vectors is observed, reflecting counterclockwise rotation of the northern limb of the North Azov flexural fault zone and, accordingly, modern shear displacements. To detail the geodynamic situation, the velocity field is compared with two geodetic profiles. The first profile crosses in the southwest-northeast direction the mountain belt of the Western Caucasus, the West Kuban Foredeep, and the Scythian Platform, which are the region's main geological structures. The second profile is less extended, but also crosses the entire mountain belt of the Western Caucasus, the West Kuban Foredeep, and part of the monocline of the Central Sector of the North Caucasus. Within the Greater Caucasus and the West Kuban Foredeep, transverse compression of the main morphostructures is observed at a rate of up to 1 mm/year, and shear displacements prevail in the Ciscaucasia. The mountain belt of the Western Caucasus is in conditions of longitudinal compression. East of the Tuapse Fault Zone, the mountain belt is undergoing longitudinal extension. At the same time, the intensity of deformation processes on the southern slope area is higher than in the Ciscaucasia. Currently, the seismic activity level in the Western Caucasus is low and moderate.