Active tectonics of the Circum-Pannonian region in the light of updated GNSS network data

Active tectonics of the Circum-Pannonian region in the light of updated GNSS network data

Porkoláb, Kristóf (Institute of Earth Physics and Space Science)
Broerse, D.B.T. (Universiteit Utrecht)
Kenyeres, Ambrus (Lechner Non-Profit Ltd.)
Békési, Eszter (Institute of Earth Physics and Space Science)
Tóth, Sándor (Budapest University of Technology and Economics; Lechner Non-Profit Ltd.)
Magyar, B. (TU Delft Applied Sciences; Lechner Non-Profit Ltd.)
Wesztergom, Viktor (Institute of Earth Physics and Space Science)

Applied Sciences

2023

The Pannonian basin is an extensional back-arc basin that has undergone neotectonic inversion and is currently shortening. The understanding and quantification of present-day deformation processes during this inversion are still incomplete. To this end, we investigate the active deformation of the Circum-Pannonian region via the interpolation of GNSS-derived velocity field and the derivation of the strain rate fields. For the interpolation of the velocity field, we use ordinary kriging, a strochastic interpolation method. Our results show that estimating a strain rate field that is virtually free of short-wavelength noise requires the scaling of the velocity uncertainties, i.e. assuming a minimum standard deviation of 1 mm/yr in our case. The deformation of the Circum-Pannonian region is defined by the 2–3 mm/yr, NNE-directed motion of the Dinarides, and by the 0.5–1.5 mm/yr, WSW to SSW directed motion of the eastern areas (European foreland, East Carpathians, South Carpathians, Transylvanian basin). These opposite-sense motions define a large-scale, on average NE-SW shortening and transpression-type deformation in the Dinarides as well as in the Pannonian basin, while the East and South Carpathians undergo regional N–S extension. Neotectonic structures generally show good agreement with the strain rate field, for example in the Dinarides, Eastern Alps, or in the western Pannonian basin. However, the presence of fault-parallel shortening or biaxial shortening along sinistral neotectonic structures in the central and eastern Pannonian basin show some discrepancy between current geodetic and observed neotectonic deformation. The vertical velocity field shows dominantly 100 and 1000 km wavelength signals, the former is probably related to the response of the Pannonian lithosphere-asthenosphere system to neotectonic basin inversion, while latter can possibly be explained by far-field subsidence patterns induced by the mantle response to melting of the Fennoscandian ice sheet during the current interglacial period.

GNSS analysis
Pannonian basin
Active tectonics
Neotectonics
Vertical motions

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:cbd71ac0-1de1-4cc3-af40-4b0139d40e4a

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40328-023-00409-8

Acta Geodaetica et Geophysica, 58 (2), 149–173

Institutional Repository

journal article

© 2023 Kristóf Porkoláb, D.B.T. Broerse, Ambrus Kenyeres, Eszter Békési, Sándor Tóth, B. Magyar, Viktor Wesztergom