Late Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the Transylvanian basin and northeastern part of the Pannonian basin (Romania): Constraints from seismic profiling and numerical modelling

The Transylvanian and the Pannonian basins are presented as basins with different tectonic evolution. In this paper, seismic lines are used to highlight the late Cenozoic structural pattern of the Transylvanian Basin and of the northeastern sector of the Pannonian Basin. Late Miocene transpressional strike-slip faults have been interpreted in both areas. Northto northeast-oriented regional stress field has been inferred from the structures interpreted in both areas. The similar structural pattern and stress field indicate a common late Cenozoic tectonic evolution of these two areas. A finite element model has also been carried out in order to investigate which orientation of late Cenozoic far-field stress are most likely to be responsible for the complex structural pattern of these two areas. The finite element modeling also indicates that the complex late Cenozoic structural pattern observed within the studied areas, but also around them, is most likely the result of a coherent northeast-oriented farfield compressional stress. Our results indicate a Pliocene intraplate stress field similar to the one documented by Horvath and Cloetingh, (1996) in the Pannonian Basin.