Kinematics of the Southern Rhodope Core Complex (North Greece)

The Southern Rhodope Core Complex is a wide metamorphic dome exhumed in the northern Aegean as a result of large-scale extension from mid-Eocene to mid-Miocene times. Its roughly triangular shape is bordered on the SW by the Jurassic and Cretaceous metamorphic units of the Serbo-Macedonian in the Chalkidiki peninsula and on the N by the eclogite bearing gneisses of the Sideroneron massif. The main foliation of metamorphic rocks is flat lying up to 100 km core complex width. Most rocks display a stretching lineation trending NE–SW. The Kerdylion detachment zone located at the SW controlled the exhumation of the core complex from middle Eocene to mid-Oligocene. From late Oligocene to mid-Miocene exhumation is located inside the dome and is accompanied by the emplacement of the synkinematic plutons of Vrondou and Symvolon. Since late Miocene times, extensional basin sediments are deposited on top of the exhumed metamorphic and plutonic rocks and controlled by steep normal faults and flat-ramp-type structures. Evidence from Thassos Island is used to illustrate the sequence of deformation from stacking by thrusting of the metamorphic pile to ductile extension and finally to development of extensional Plio-Pleistocene sedimentary basin. Paleomagnetic data indicate that the core complex exhumation is controlled by a 30° dextral rotation of the Chalkidiki block. Extensional displacements are restored using a pole of rotation deduced from the curvature of stretching lineation trends at core complex scale. It is argued that the Rhodope Core Complex has recorded at least 120 km of extension in the North Aegean, since the last 40 My.     

Methana,the westernmost active volcanic system of the south Aegean arc (Greece): Insight from fluids geochemistry

An extensive geochemical survey of the fluids released by the volcanic/geothermal system of Methana was undertaken. Gases were characterized based on the chemical and isotopic [helium (He) and carbon (C)] analysis of 27 samples. Carbon dioxide soil gas concentration and fluxes were measured at 179 sampling sites throughout the peninsula. Forty samples of thermal and cold groundwaters were also sampled and analysed to characterize the geochemistry of the aquifers.     

Water and sediment quality assessment of the Axios River and its coastal environment

The Axios River (Axios R.) receives substantial loads of nutrients, heavy metals and other compounds, resulting from anthropogenic activities within its catchment. Long-term trends in nutrients were assessed. Dissolved and particulate fluxes of nutrients and selected metals to the Thermaikos Gulf were calculated and finally, data evaluation with water and sediment quality criteria was performed. Dissolved nutrient concentrations exhibited intra-annual variations related to the agricultural practices of the drainage area with elevated autumn–winter NO₃ concentrations (related to fertilizers applied early spring) and high levels of total phosphorous in the summer attributed to point source pollution. Long-term inter-annual variability showed a 2.5-fold increase in nitrate concentration, coupled with a 3-fold decrease in water discharge. Elevated concentrations of dissolved Pb and As have been observed in the Axios R., and freshwater quality criteria for Pb were exceeded. Stream sediments exhibited high contents for Zn, Cr, Pb, and As, mainly originating in tailings and industrial effluents. On the other hand, a considerable portion of the heavy metals is derived from the weathering of ultra-mafic ophiolite complexes. Similar patterns were observed in the Thermaikos Gulf sediment chemistry; the geochemical signatures of the Axios and Aliakmon Rivers (Aliakmon R.), in respect to their contribution in heavy metals, were identified, as well as the impact of the Thessaloniki city. Quality criteria for both river and marine sediments were violated for As and Cr. Overall, the water and sediment quality of the Axios R. and the Thermaikos Gulf have been impacted by anthropogenic activities in the hinterland. The coastal waters and sediments do not appear to pose any threat to human health and aquatic life, however, the need for regular monitoring is highly recommended.     

A first coincident normal-incidence and wide-angle approach to studying the extending Aegean crust

The Aegean Sea is a broad area of submerged continental crust undergoing active extension to varying degrees. A combined near-normal incidence and wide-angle seismic recording programme was conducted in the western Aegean Sea in 1993, with the principal objective of testing the popular hypothesis that lower crustal deformation (particularily extension) is expressed as a seismically “layered lower crust” (LLC). Across the southern margin of the Cretan trough (i.e. North Cretan offshore margin), a LLC was indicated by wide-angle arrivals that was not apparent on either the coincident near-normal-in-cidence profile or on older low-frequency refraction records. North of the northern margin of the Cretan Trough, beneath the Cyclades, a domain of strong reflectivity is recorded from the middle to lower crust. Here, the near-normal incidence sections also show this typical LLC reflectivity. On the wide-angle sections, a distinct interface is suggested in addition, at a larger depth than that previously assumed for the Moho discontinuity. The structural images and interpretations derived from the new seismic data so far do not clearly support either a pure-shear crustal stretching or an asymmetric simple-shear extension model for the Aegean Sea. Our results appear to be consistent with a tectonic model, where middle crust mobilised by flow coincides spatially with upper crust that has been thinned by active extension of an orogenically thickened crust and expressed near the surface as an exhumed metamorphic core complex.     

Precursory accelerating seismic crustal deformation in the Northwestern Anatolia Fault Zone

We present the results of a systematic search for the identification of accelerating seismic crustal deformation in the broader northern Aegean area and in northwestern Turkey. We found that accelerating seismic deformation release, expressed by the generation of intermediate magnitude earthquakes, is currently observed in NW Turkey. On the basis of the critical earthquake model and by applying certain constraints which hold between the basic quantities involved in this phenomenon, it can be expected that this accelerating seismic activity may culminate in the generation of two strong earthquakes in this area during the next few years.The estimated epicenter coordinates of the larger of these probably impending earthquakes are 39.7°N–28.8°E, its magnitude is 7.0 and its occurrence time t_c=2003.5. The second strong event is expected to occur at t_c=2002.5 with a magnitude equal to 6.4 and epicenter coordinates 40.0°N–27.4°E. The uncertainties in the calculated focal parameters for these expected events are of the order of 100 km for the epicenter, ±0.5 for their magnitude and ±1.5 years for their occurrence time.     

Seasonal Analysis of Zoobenthos Associated with a Zostera marina L. Bed in Gulbahce Bay Aegean Sea, Turkey

Abstract. seasonal sampling of three stations in Gulbahce Bay Aegean Sea for the zoobenthic organisms associated with a Zostera marina bed was carried out during 1993–94. Temperature, salinity and oxygen were recorded each sampling period. A total of 7 taxonomic groups were determined: Polychaeta was the dominant group comprising 77 % of the total taxa and individuals, followed by Crustacea, Bivalvia and other groups such as Nemertea. Sipuncula, Turbellaria and Phoronida. Of the 108 taxa encountered, the polychaetes Notomastus latericeus and Caulleriella alata accounted for 49 % of the total populations. The species abundance did not show major changes among seasons, with highest values in fall 982 indiv. ·m^-2 and lowest in spring 754 indiv. ·m^-2. Diversity and evenness of the samples were relatively high and fairly constant, and were affected by the dominance levels of the species.     

3-D velocity structure beneath the crust and upper mantle of Aegean Sea region

The region of the Aegean Sea and the surrounding areas in the Eastern Mediterranean lies on the boundary zone between the Eurasian and the African plates. It is a zone of widespread extensive deformation and, therefore, reveals a high level of seismicity.Three-dimensional velocity structure, beneath the crust and upper mantle of the region between 33.0°N–43.0°N and 18.0°E–30.6°E, is determined.The data used are arrival times ofP-waves from 166 earthquakes, recorded at 62 seismological stations. In total, 3973 residual data are inverted.The resultant structure reveals a remarkable contrast of velocity. In the top crustal layer, low velocities are dominant in Western Turkey and on the Greek mainland, while a high velocity zone is dominant in the Ionian Sea and in the southern Aegean Sea.In the upper mantle, high velocity zones dominate along the Hellenic arc, corresponding to the subducting African plate and in the northern part of the region, corresponding to the subducting African plate and in the northern part of the region, corresponding to the margin of Eurasian plate.A low velocity zone is dominant in the Aegean Sea region, where large-scale extension and volcanic activity are predominant, associated with the subduction of the African plate.     

Uncertainties in the estimation of earthquake magnitudes in Greece

Instrumental magnitudes in Greece have been reported as: a) Mmagnitudes based on the records of the Wiechert or Mainka seismographs,b) M_LGR magnitudes based on the records of the Wood-Anderson(WA) seismographs (T_o = 0.8 sec, V_effective 1000) or othershort period seismographs calibrated against WA records and,c) M_LSM magnitudes based on strong motion records(accelerograms). Comparison of such magnitudes with momentmagnitudes, M_w, for 329 earthquakes, with epicenters in thebroader Aegean area, performed in this study, showedthat M, M_LGR+0.5 and M_LSM are practically equalto M_w, with a small overall standard error ( = 0.23).Therefore, equivalent moment magnitudes, M_w ^*,estimated from these magnitudes and reported in the catalogues of theGeophysical Laboratory of the University of Thessaloniki are equal tomoment magnitudes for all practical purposes with reasonable uncertainties.It has been further shown that surface wave magnitudes, M_s,for M_s <6.0, can be also transferred into momentmagnitudes, M_w ^*, but the larger uncertaintiesencountered make its use rather problematic.