Determining crustal structure and density in the eastern Black Sea and Pontide Mountains using 3D gravity model calculations

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the crustal structure and the Moho depth in the Eastern Black Sea and Pontide Mountains using three-dimensional gravity inversion model calculations. Due to the lack of seismic data, 3D models were constructed for three profiles of three bodies, i.e., The Black Sea water, the sediment, and the crust. Ensuring that the densities were kept within acceptable limits and repeating the inversion calculations with body boundaries taken at different depths, the most probable boundary depths were determined. This study found that the water density of the Black Sea, the sediment density, and the crustal density are 1,040, 2,419, and 2,846 kg/m3, respectively. These values are within the acceptable limits. As shown, the Moho depths under the three profiles in the Black Sea in the north–south direction from west to east are −16.2 km under the first profile with −14.8 km on the seaside, −14.9 km under the middle profile with −13.6 km on the seaside, and −13.2 km under the third profile with −12.5 km on the seaside. Under Inner Anatolia, the Moho depths reach to −32.4 and −42.2 km.