On the Geomorphologic and Geologic Evolution of The
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N. Panin - On the Geomorphologicand Geologicevolution of the Nver Danube- Black Sea lnteractionZone ONTHE GEOMORPHOLOGIC AND GEOLOGIC EVOLUTION OF THE RIVERDANUBE . BLACKSEA INTERACTION ZONE NicolaePRxttrt NationalInstitute of MarineGeology and Geo-ecology- GEoEcoMAR 23-25,D. OnciulStr., 70318 Bucharest, Tel/Fax: +fi-1-252.25.94, E-mail: [email protected] Abstract. The presentpaper aims at describingof the evolutionof the mouthzones of three main distributariesof the DanubeDelta system:the northernbranch - Chilia,a medianone - Sulinaand a southernbranch - St. George(Sf.Gheorghe). These main distributaries areresponsible for the formationand the developmentof differentstages of the DanubeDelta. The descriptionis basedon the complex studyof the.entireDanube Delta edifice by aerophotogrammetric,geomorphologic, sedimentologic-geologic, biostratigraphic means, as ''C wellas by datationof deltaicdeposits. The mainstages of developmentthrough which the DanubeDelta reached the presentday aspectinclude:(1)theDanubeGulf andthe"DanubeBlockedDelta"--12-1 1 k.yr.B.P.; (2)lnitial Letea-CaraormanSpit, 11,700-9,800 yr.B. P.; (3) St.GeorgeI Deita,9,000-7,200 yr. B. P.; (4) SulinaDelta, 7 ,2OO-2,000 yr. B P.;(5)St, George ll Deltaand ChiliaDelta, 2,800 yr.B.P.-present;(6) SecondaryCosna-Sinoie Delta, 3,550-2,500 yr B.P. Detaileddescription of the succesivephases of developmentof the mentionedstages is given. 'oC Key words: geomorphologicand geologicevolution, deltaic deposits, phases of development, datation,Danube Delta system. INTRODUCTION THE "BLOCKEDDANUBE DELTA'' The river-sea interaction zones have very ln the period12-11 k.y. BP, when the level of complexdynamic, depositional, biogeo-chemical the Black Sea had reachedthe present level or, and eco-structuralcharacteristics. Geomorpho- probably,had even exceededit with few meters, logicallythese zones are representedmostly by the present area of the Danube Delta was estuariesand deltas. transformedinto a large gulf - the Danube Gulf. One of the most interestingand complexof the All the tributaryvalleys coming from the plateau Europeandeltas is the River DanubeDelta. The Bugeac-Kitai,Catlabug, lalpug, Kahul etc. had DanubeDelta is situatedin the North-westernpart been partiallyinvaded by the sea and changedin of the Black Sea, between 4425' and 45"30' limans by forming spits at their mouths. In this northernlatitude and between 28"45' and 29'46' period the Northern shore of the Danube Gulf easternlongitude, being borderedby the Bugeac presentedsome promontoriesin the presentday Plateauto the North and by the DobrogeaUnit to area of the delta, of which the most important the South. being Jebriany,Chilia and lzmail-Bugeac.There probably The main phases of development through were alsosome reliefs, exposed,situated the areas Stipoc. which the Danube Delta reachedthe presentday in Letea,Caraorman and These supporting, aspect include: (1) Initial Letea-CaraormanSpit, reliefs might have representedthe points 11,700 -9,800 yr.B.P.; (2) St.George I Delta, hanging for the spits which had started yr.B.P.;(3) forming under the action of the littoral drift of 9,000-7,200 SulinaDelta, 7,200-2,000 - yr.B.P.;(4)St.George ll Delta and Chilia Delta, sediments. "The lnitial Jebriany Letea 2,800yr.B.P.-present; (5) SecondaryCosna-Sinoie Caraorman Spr?" was formed by the sediment Delta,3,550-2,500 yr.B.P. littoral drift fed by the Ukrainian rivers at the mouth of the DanubeGulf, closingalmost entirely The Danube Delta has three main the access into the Gulf (Fig.1). The Stipoc - distributaries:a northernbranch Chilia,a median lacustrianspit formed within the gulf having the - - one Sulinaand a southernbranch St.George starting point the lzmail promontory,supporting (Sf.Gheorghe). These main distributaries are pointStipoc relief and the "tail"towards the Chilia responsiblefor the formationand the development promontory. of differentstages of the DanubeDelta. Thus, the Chilia promontorytogether with the present paper The aims at describing the Stipoc paleoreliefand the lacustrianspit Stipoc evolutionof the moulh zones of these three main have closed a large depressionaryarea - the distributariesof the Danube Delta system. The Pardina Depression, where, as it had been description is based on the complexstudy of describedby the ancientsat the beginningof our the entire Danube Delta edifice by aerophoto- era, there was the lake Thiagola.The lake might grammetric,geomorphologic, sedimentologic- have comprisedthe wholePardina Depression and geologic, biostratigraphicmeans, as well as by the presentday lakes (limans) Sofian, Catlabug toCdatation of deltaicdeposits. GEO-ECO.MARINA,A1997 ?t Nationallnstitute of Maine Geologyand Geo-ecologyof Romania Proc. lntern. Workshopon'Fluvial-Maine lnteractions"in Malnas,Romania, Oct.1-7, 1996 \ N. Panin - On the Geomorphologicand Geologicevolution of the River Danube- Black Sea lnteractionZone course comes into touch with the Dobrodgean "wall"and it is reflectedNorth-eastward, and then is broughtback by the Coriolisforce to the same "wall".These points are Tulcea,Nufaru (Preslav or Periaslavet),Carasuhat, Mahmudia. After the "hit" at Preslav,the Paleo-Tulceabranch divided into Paleo-St.Georgeand Paleo-Sulinadistributaries. However, the same Coriolis force must have determinedthe Paleo-St.Georgebranch to have beenthe most importantand activedistributary for a long time, being responsiblefor the appearance of the first DanubeDelta - St. GeorgeI Delta.At a certaintime the Paleo-St.Georgedistributary was clogged and the Paleo-Sulinabranch took the main role within the deltaic system of water and sediment pathways.The Sulina distributarybuilt up the nextDanube Delta - the SulinaDelta. In the Blocked Delta phase, the Paleo-Chilia distributaryseems to have had less importance Black Sea and a smaller discharge than Paleo-Tulcea branch. On a certain distance the Chilia distributarywas flowing Northward,up to hitting the BugeacPlateau in the lzmail area, where it was changing its direction Eastward, directing probably along the approximately present day courseof Sonteachannel and joining with Paleo- Sulinadistributary in Mile 25-Mile24 areaon its so Fig.l Firststage of the DanubeDelta evolution (1 1700-7500 called Old Danube(Dun6rea Veche) section.The BP) (afterPanin, 1996a) flowing of Paleo-Chiliainto the Thiagola Lake and Kitai. (PardinaDepression) is difficultto be explainedas a hydrologicalphenomenon and to be appreciated During the existence of the Danube Gulf, flowingmight have been the resultof almost the whole solid discharge of the River in time. This level variationsof the Danubewas settledinside the gulf, formingthere a the relativewater Danube Gulf and of Thiagola Lake, variations which reafdelta, so one couldspeak about the "Blocked determinedthe Stipoc lacustrinespit breakingnot Danube Delta" phase (Fig.1). The lnitial Spit far from lzmail Promontory(at the "foot" of the representsthe limit betweertthe two main unitsof spit) and of Chilia Promontoryin the place where the DanubeDeltaic Plain: the FluvialDelta Plain, this was narrower.The breakingsplayed then a westward the spit and the Marine Delta Plain, part of natural capture: the first captured the eastwardof it. flowing of Paleo-Chiliadistributary deriving it to As regardsthe evolutionof the BlockedDelta the PardinaDepression, and the secondone had a (the fluvial one), the existingdata are limited,the part of dischargingthe whole amount of water researchesbeing still under way. That is why we which was flowing into the Depression (the shall be able to presentbelow only a hypothesis cumulated water discharges of Paleo-Chilia regardingthe genesisand the evolutionof the distributary and of the Kitai and Catlabug Danubedistributary system within the DanubeGulf tributaries). areaand the FluvialDelta- On the easternside of the Chilia Promontory, It is difficultto say for sure when and how the within the lagoon behindthe Initial Spit, which main bifurcationsappeared along the Danubeat might have been discontinueand thin enough in Ceatallzmail and CeatalSt.George. The forkingat this area, a lacustrian(lagoonal) spit was formed Ceatal lzmail (Mile 44 upstreamfrom the present (called Rosca'Suez), delimiting southward the day Sulina Distributary mouth) might have availablespace for braiding of the new branch occurredwhen the front of the Danube Blocked formed by the breakingsdescribed above. lt is Deltareached this area. difficult to precise these processesin time but The southernbranch Paleo-Tulceawas joined Chilia branch might have reached the shape with the firm land of NorthernDobrodgea under resemblingthe nowadayscourse 3000-3500 years the Coriolis force action. One can notice a BP. The distributarymight have found a way out remarkableconstancy of the distances(7-10 km) to the sea through the lnitial Spit in almost the betweenthe places rn which the southernbranch same periodof time. GEA-ECO-MARINA,41997 National lnstituteof Maine Geologyand Geo-ecologyof Romania Proc. Intern. Workshopon "Fluvial-Mainelnteractions" in Malnas,Romania, Oct.1-7, 1996 >-- N. Panin - On the Geomorphologicand Geologicevolution of the River Danube- Black Sea lnteractionZone dgean Fromthis moment on the Chiliadistributary will o phase, d then The Erenciuc materialisedby startintroducing into the littoralarea an increasing same the Erenciucset of fossilbeach ridges, having quantityof sedimentsand building up its owndelta slav a Southwardslightly divergent structure as or - theChilia Delta. re"hit" the St.George I Delta had began its