Palaeomagnetism of the loess/palaeosol sequence in Viatovo (NE Bulgaria) in the Danube basin

The results of a palaeomagnetic investigation of a 27 m thick loess/palaeosol sequence in Viatovo (NE Bulgaria) are presented in this paper. The sequence consists of topsoil S₀, seven loess horizons (L₁–L₇) and six interbedded palaeosols (S₁–S₆) overlying a red clay (terra rossa) complex. Magnetic viscosity experiments, IRM acquisition, AMS analysis and NRM stepwise alternating and thermal demagnetisation experiments of pilot samples were implemented for precise determination of the characteristic remanence and construction of a reliable magnetostratigraphical scheme. Analysis of IRM acquisition curves using the expectation – maximization algorithm of Heslop et al. [Heslop, D., Dekkers, M., Kruiver, P., van Oorschot, H., 2002. Analysis of isothermal remanent magnetization acquisition curves using the expectation – maximization algorithm. Geophys. J. Int., 148, 58–64] suggests that the best fitting is obtained by three coercivity components. Component 1 corresponds to SD maghemite/magnetite, while component 2 is probably related to the presence of oxidised detrital magnetites. The third component shows varying coercivities depending on the degree of pedogenic alteration of the samples and probably reflects the presence of detrital magnetite grains oxidised at different degree.

The relevance of the Viatovo section as a key representative sequence for the loess cover in the Danube basin is confirmed by the presence of geomagnetic polarity changes in the lower part of the sequence. The youngest one recorded in the seventh loess unit L₇ can be identified as corresponding to the Matuyama/Brunhes palaeomagnetic polarity transition. Two normal magnetozones were found in the red clay complex, probably corresponding to the Jaramillo and Olduvai subchronozones of the Matuyama chron.     

Monitoring tectonic movements in the Simitli Graben, SW Bulgaria

Long-term in situ monitoring of slow tectonic movements has been applied to a seismoactive region of SW Bulgaria, within the epicentral zone of one of the strongest earthquakes in Europe (4 April 1904, M=7.8). The region has been found the most seismoactive in Bulgaria being of interest to many scientists. Three spatial extensometers were installed here in carefully selected sites to reflect fault movements on fissures. The extensometer TM-71 used here, enables three-dimensional detecting of even very slow movements with the accuracy of 0.01 mm and high stability over time. After 17 years of measuring, the rates of tectonic movements were established at all three monitoring points. Movements recorded at point B6 located in the seismoactive Kroupnik fault zone are of a relatively high rate. Locally, they show left-lateral strike–slips at rates of ca. 2.7 mm year⁻¹, as well as thrusting with a mean rate of 1.9 mm year⁻¹. Monitoring point K7 located in a fissure of the same zone on a steep slope affected by recent earthquakes has shown an uplift tendency of the block W of the Strouma Fault, with a result of gradual slope subsidence occurring from time to time. Monitoring point K5 located in a fissure of Strouma Fault zone became increasingly active during the last 2 years after 8 years of relative quiescence. Before that, only low left-lateral movements could be observed. Long-term fissure monitoring has shown quite a number of details interpretable to the dynamics of a broad region. Permanent shear displacements were found to develop after earthquakes. It was established that only a certain distinct part of local earthquakes provide such a displacement reaction at the monitoring points showing particular seismic connections.     

Petrology,geochemistry and U–Pb geochronology of magmatic rocks from the high-sulfidation epithermal Au–Cu Chelopech deposit,Srednogorie zone,Bulgaria

The Chelopech deposit is one of the largest European gold deposits and is located 60 km east of Sofia, within the northern part of the Panagyurishte mineral district. It lies within the Banat–Srednegorie metallogenic belt, which extends from Romania through Serbia to Bulgaria. The magmatic rocks define a typical calc-alkaline suite. The magmatic rocks surrounding the Chelopech deposit have been affected by propylitic, quartz–sericite, and advanced argillic alteration, but the igneous textures have been preserved. Alteration processes have resulted in leaching of Na₂O, CaO, P₂O₅, and Sr and enrichment in K₂O and Rb. Trace element variation diagrams are typical of subduction-related volcanism, with negative anomalies in high field strength elements (HFSE) and light element, lithophile elements. HFSE and rare earth elements were relatively immobile during the hydrothermal alteration related to ore formation. Based on immobile element classification diagrams, the magmatic rocks are andesitic to dacitic in compositions. Single zircon grains, from three different magmatic rocks spanning the time of the Chelopech magmatism, were dated by high-precision U–Pb geochronology. Zircons of an altered andesitic body, which has been thrust over the deposit, yield a concordant ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age of 92.21 ± 0.21 Ma. This age is interpreted as the crystallization age and the maximum age for magmatism at Chelopech. Zircon analyses of a dacitic dome-like body, which crops out to the north of the Chelopech deposit, give a mean ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age of 91.95 ± 0.28 Ma. Zircons of the andesitic hypabyssal body hosting the high-sulfidation mineralization and overprinted by hydrothermal alteration give a concordant ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age of 91.45 ± 0.15 Ma. This age is interpreted as the intrusion age of the andesite and as the maximum age of the Chelopech epithermal high-sulfidation deposit. ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf isotope ratios of zircons from the Chelopech magmatic rocks, together with published data on the Chelopech area and the about 92-Ma-old Elatsite porphyry–Cu deposit, suggest two different magma sources in the Chelopech–Elatsite magmatic area. Magmatic rocks associated with the Elatsite porphyry–Cu deposit and the dacitic dome-like body north of Chelopech are characterized by zircons with ɛHf_T90 values of ∼5, which suggest an important input of mantle-derived magma. Some zircons display lower ɛHf_T90 values, as low as −6, and correlate with increasing ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages up to about 350 Ma, suggesting assimilation of basement rocks during magmatism. In contrast, zircon grains in andesitic rocks from Chelopech are characterized by homogeneous ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf isotope ratios with ɛHf_T90 values of ∼1 and suggest a homogeneous mixed crust–mantle magma source. We conclude that the Elatsite porphyry–Cu and the Chelopech high-sulfidation epithermal deposits were formed within a very short time span and could be partly contemporaneous. However, they are related to two distinct upper crustal magmatic reservoirs, and they cannot be considered as a genetically paired porphyry–Cu and high-sulfidation epithermal related to a single magmatic–hydrothermal system centered on the same intrusion.     

Constraints of stable isotopes on the origin of alunite from advanced argillic alteration systems in Bulgaria

Voluminous areas of advanced argillic alteration (AAA) constitute major exploration targets for surficial Cu–Au epithermal and potentially underlying porphyry-type deposits. In Bulgaria, more than 30 alunite occurrences are recognised, few of them being associated with a mineralised system. A mineralogical study combined with a stable isotopic (O, H, S) study has been carried out on nine alunite occurrences of advanced argillic zones hosted by volcanic rocks of Late Cretaceous age in the Srednogorie belt and of Oligocene age in the Rhodopes belt. This work was realised in order to constrain the origin of alunite and to define criteria to discriminate alunite from ore deposits and alunite from large barren alteration systems.Mineralogy of the nine occurrences consists of alunite + quartz + minor alumino-phospho-sulphates, associated with more or less kaolinite, dickite, pyrophyllite, diaspore and zunyite, depending on formation temperature. Alunite generally occurs as tabular crystals but is also present as fine-crystalline pseudocubic phases at Boukovo and Sarnitsa, in Eastern Rhodopes. In the advanced argillic alterations associated with economic ore, the presence of zunyite in the deeper parts indicates acid–fluorine–sulphate hydrothermal systems, whereas it is absent in uneconomic and barren advanced argillic alteration. All occurrences are formed at temperatures between 200 and 300 °C.(H, O, S) isotopic signatures of alunite combined with mineralogical features from all the studied occurrences, whatever their type, show characteristics of magmatic-hydrothermal systems. Sulphur data indicate essentially a magmatic origin for sulphur. Oxygen and hydrogen data suggest that hydrothermal fluids result from a mixing between magmatic fluids and an external component, which is identified as seawater-derived fluids or meteoric water in the vicinity of a sea. In most of the alunite occurrences, magmatic fluids are dominant and H₂S/SO₄ ratios are estimated to be higher than 2. Two exceptions exist in the Rhodopes. At Boukovo and Sarnitsa, where the estimated formation temperatures of alunite are the lowest, the external fluids are dominant and H₂S/SO₄ratios are estimated to be lower than or close to 1.At this stage of the work, the mineralogical and isotopic criteria do not enable a clear distinction between economic and uneconomic systems. However, some features are common in the economic ore deposits: the presence of zunyite in the deeper part of the system, the relatively high temperatures suggested by the zunyite + pyrophyllite + alunite + diaspore assemblages, the (O, H, S) signature of alunite, which is characteristic of dominant magmatic–hydrothermal acid–sulphate–fluorine systems.     

A Simplified Basin Model For Simulating Runoff: The Struma River GIS

A GIS‐based distributed‐parameter runoff simulation model for the Struma River Basin in southwestern Bulgaria calculates the monthly snow/rain proportion, direct or surface runoff, snow cover and snowmelt, soil moisture, evapotranspiration, and total runoff. Simulation during the Bulgarian hydrologic year from November to October was compared with observed runoff data. The model closely replicates mean monthly runoff from climate conditions during the years 1961 –1990 as well as specific years. The simplified GIS model simulates hydrologic processes under limited data availability.     

Seismic hazard of Bulgaria

A simplified seismotectonic model is proposed for Bulgaria by introducing generalized seismogenic areas containing systems of complex geometry faults. A tectonic scheme, which considers the main faults only, is then derived from this. The assessment of the regional seismic hazard is done using different approaches: the Gumbel, the Cornell, and the fault rupture model methods. A series of relations among seismological parameters are derived from the available data. The results obtained by the different approaches are similar: the most dangerous area is the Struma zone, located in southwestern Bulgaria.     

Rural diversification in Bulgaria

Agriculture has always been very important for the Bulgarian economy, but during the socialist period there was considerable progress made in the diversification of employment opportunities in rural areas. While many people commuted to non-agricultural jobs in the townships (and there was a large permanent transfer from rural to urban areas), there were additional opportunities in small factories and local services in the villages themselves. The transition has seen these opportunities much reduced, at precisely the time when full-time paid work in agriculture has declined due to market restructuring while complex problems have emerged associated with liquidating the state-run cooperatives and establishing a viable alternative. The paper discusses the general issues and presents a case study from the north-central part of the country. The rebuilding of a cooperative farming system (along with other forms of consolidation) is a positive trend which could increase spending power in the villages and help in the growth of employment in rural industries and services. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Analysis of microtremors within the Provadia region near a salt leaching mine

By analysis of microtremors recorded with digital seismological monitoring equipment near the Provadia salt diapir (Bulgaria), two groups of events showing different characteristics have been detected in the vicinity of the salt production area. The first group of events has low magnitudes and is located at a distance of about 1 km from the top of the salt diapir. These events show low stress drops. The second group of tremors is located outside the salt diapir. The corresponding magnitudes and stress drops are larger. The first class of events seems to be related to processes at the contour of the salt leaching caverns, whereas the origin of the second group seems to be connected with stress redistribution processes around the salt body. Based on this analysis, the tectonic model of the Provadia salt diapir has been modified.     

Water resource impacts of climate change in southwestern Bulgaria

This study assesses the regional impact of climate change on runoff in a mountainous region of southwestern Bulgaria. A GIS-based distributed hydrologic model and two climate change scenarios – HadCM2 and CCC – were employed for years around 2025 and 2085. Results from both scenarios demonstrate the basin's sensitivity of runoff to climate change, which produce significant spatial and temporal changes in the basin's water yield with maximum runoff shift into early spring and further decreases in summer runoff. There could be no reduction in mean annual runoff, except under the Hadley scenario by 2085. Changes in the magnitude of mean monthly and peak flow are associated with early snowmelt and a reduction in snow cover in spring. Increases in spatial variability of runoff reflect the basin's complex physiographic characteristics. The increase of spatial and temporal variability in runoff points to different strategies for future water resource management. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Depositional environment and hydrocarbon source potential of the Oligocene Ruslar Formation (Kamchia Depression; Western Black Sea)

The Oligocene Ruslar Formation is a hydrocarbon source rock in the Kamchia Depression, located in the Western Black Sea area. Depositional environment and source potential of the predominantly pelitic rocks were investigated using core and cuttings samples from four offshore wells. In these wells the Ruslar Formation is up to 500 m thick. Based on lithology and well logs, the Ruslar Formation is subdivided from base to top into units I–VI. Dysoxic to anoxic conditions and mesohaline to euhaline salinities prevailed during deposition of the Ruslar Formation. Relatively high oxygen contents occurred during early Solenovian times (lower part of unit II), when brackish surface water favoured nannoplankton blooms and the deposition of bright marls (“Solenovian event”). Anoxic conditions with photic zone anoxia were established during late Oligocene times (units III and IV) and, probably, reflect a basin-wide anoxic event in the Eastern Paratethys during Kalmykian times. Organic carbon content in the Ruslar Formation is up to 3%. Autochthonous aquatic and allochthonous terrigenous biomass contribute to the organic matter. Relatively high amounts of aquatic organic matter occur in the lower part of the Ruslar Formation (units I and II) and in its upper part (unit VI). Diatoms are especially abundant in the lower part of unit VI. The kerogen is of type III and II with HI values ranging from 50 to 400 mgHC/gTOC. Units I and II (Pshekian, lower Solenovian) are characterized by a fair (to good) potential to produce gas and oil, but potential sources for gas and oil also occur in the Upper Oligocene units IV–VI.