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  4. Density model of the Earth's crust in the joint zone of the Outer Carpathians and the East European Craton along the Cisna – Khyriv – Rava-Ruska – Velyki Mosty line

Density model of the Earth's crust in the joint zone of the Outer Carpathians and the East European Craton along the Cisna – Khyriv – Rava-Ruska – Velyki Mosty line

JGD.
2025;
Volume 1(38)2025, Number 1(38)
: 57-70
https://doi.org/10.23939/jgd2025.01.057
Received: April 02, 2025
Authors:
  1. Sergiy Anikeyev
  2. Valentyn Maksymchuk
1
Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas, Carpathian Branch of Subbotin Institute of Geophysics of NAS of Ukraine
2
Carpathian Branch of Subbotin Institute of Geophysics of NAS of Ukraine

The work presents the results of 2D gravity modelling of the Earth's crust and upper mantle structure in the joint zone of the Outer Ukrainian Carpathians and the East European Craton. This study focuses on the area along the Cisna – Khyriv – Rava-Ruska – Velyki Mosty line. The profile traverses the complex border zone between Ukraine and Poland, crossing the Folded Carpathians, the Precarpathian Trough, and the Rava-Ruska zone, ultimately reaching the outer zone of the Lviv Trough. For constructing a density model, the initial structural-tectonic model of the Earth's crust was based on a deep seismic-geological cross-section along the SG-1(66) traverse of the same name. The seismic-geological data confirming the depths of the Carpathian basement and the basement surface along the seismic traverse have been verified. Additionally, the density values of both the sedimentary rocks and basement rocks have been clarified. Increased density values of the lower crust and upper mantle under the Outer Carpathians have been established. The paper examines the reflection of tectonic units in the anomalous gravity field of the Carpathian structure, specifically focusing on the Turkivskyi Paraautochthonous Complex, and deep mafic magmatic formations located between the Rava-Ruskyi and Velykomostivskyi deep faults, as indicated by seismic data. The study identifies a region of the Earth's crust between the Precarpathian and Rava-Ruskyi Faults, which probably corresponds to the Trans-European Suture Zone. This conclusion is based on the morphological features of the gravity field and the inconsistent behavior of the surfaces of the Riphean-Paleozoic basement, the pre-Riphean crystalline basement, and the Moho boundary. The modelling results confirm that the primary cause of regional negative gravity anomalies is the deepening of the Moho (and basement surface) under the Carpathians and in the Teisseyre-Tornquist Zone to 45 km (10.5 km) and 50 km (6.5 km), respectively.

Folded Carpathians
East European Craton
Trans-European Suture Zone
Teisseyre-Tornquist zone
deep faults
Moho boundary
Bouguer gravity anomalies
gravity modelling
two-dimensional density model of the Earth's crust.
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