Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: The parameters and mechanisms of the source of modern earthquakes in the Eastern Baltic region are systematized. The predominant types of focal mechanisms of continental earthquakes are strike-slip and reverse. A generalized map of the orientation of maximum horizontal stresses in the East Baltic region and adjacent territories has been created. To create this map, we utilized the World Stress Map database and added the directions of maximum horizontal stresses in Estonia. The direction of maximum horizontal stresses changes from north (Estonia) to south (Kaliningrad region of Russian Federation) from 102º–114º to 157º–166º. The study investigated how the deep geological structure and gravitational forces in different parts of the earth's crust affect the direction of maximum horizontal stresses. It was observed that the direction of maximum horizontal stress changed when crossing only one of a deep tectonic fault. The direction of maximum horizontal stress showed the high correlation values with the gravitational effect of the sedimentary cover (negative correlation), the averaged difference gravitational field, and the gravitational effect of the crustal layer up to the Conrad boundary.
Source: GEODYNAMICS
Authors: Valerijs Nikulins, Dmytro Malytskyy
Institution: National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
Language: English
Subfield: Geophysics
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4405376020