Monitoring of recent crustal movements in the region of western Bulgaria. Results from 2023

Abstract

The region of west Bulgaria and especially southwest Bulgaria is geodynamically active region due to the large number of active faults. The observation of geodynamic processes using GNSS measurements in the area has been going on for more than 26 years involving 38 stations. This article shows the latest results of the monitoring of modern crustal movements in the area. Presently, 26 points are measured, 10 of them newly added. GNSS data obtained from periodic campaign measurements between 1997 and 2023 are processed and analyzed to obtain the result of points movements geodynamic network and deformation accumulation. As a result of many years of periodic measurements, much more accurate and reliable results for point velocities are obtained. The velocity rates are between 1–2 mm/y in the north and 3–4 mm/y in the southernmost part of the area. The new results clearly confirm this as well as the extensive movement of southwestern Bulgaria to the south. The results obtained from the addition of 10 new points and the expansion of the network provide better and more detailed information and can be used for detailed geodynamic and geological research of the active tectonics in the area.