The lithosphere structure and geodynamics of the West and East Black Sea Basins

The velocity structure of the Black Sea lithosphere has been studied using the local seismic tomography method based on the Backus-Gilbert approach and applied for a quite large amount of seismological data. As seismic sources, we used the earthquakes that occurred within the Black Sea and adjoining regions and generated seismic waves recorded by seismic stations around the Black Sea. This yielded information on the 3D distribution of P-waves within the most heterogeneous and poorly investigated uppermost layer of the Black Sea region (down to a depth of 60 km). The interpretation of these results, together with new data on the velocity structure of the crust of the Black Sea led to the conclusion about the different lithosphere beneath the West and the East Black Sea Basins. This can be explained by origination of the depressions in the western and eastern parts of the Black Sea at different microplates and by specific features in their development at rifting and post-rifting stages.