NEOGENE HISTORY OF INTRAMONTANE BASINS IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE CARPATHIANS

Neogene collision of the Carpathians with the European Platform resulted in flysch nappes overthrust in frontal part of the orogene. Tectonic activation of the Paleoalpine-consolidated Centrai Western Carpathians led to modification of their structural pattern. Axis of the main compression rotated from NW-SE to NE-SW. Thrust-reverse faults and ENE-WSW dextral strike- slips were dominant in the Lower Miocene. Movement of the Western Carpathians north-eastward during the Middle and Upper Miocene caused activation of ENE-WSW sinistrai strike-slips and NE-SW normai faults. Pliocene regional extension was manifested mainly by NE-SW normai faults which controlled the sedimentation and form of the basins

The role of ethnicity in the perception of pork barrel politics : Evidence from a survey experiment in Slovakia

In divided societies and new democracies, clientelism (in the form of pork barrel) and ethno-politics appear to go hand in hand. It is apparent that politicians are incentivized to compete for support within their own ethnic groups, but does an ethnic link between voters and decision-makers influence how voters perceive and evaluate pork barrel practices? To address this question, we conducted a survey experiment (n=1,200) in ethnically heterogeneous Slovakia. The aim was to examine whether pork barrel politics implemented by a Slovak decision-maker and a Hungarian decision-maker are evaluated differently by Slovaks and Hungarians. The findings suggest that when individuals and decision-makers share the same ethnicity, individuals tend to maintain an equally positive level of trust and willingness to vote for the responsible decision-maker, even when the decision-maker implements a policy decision that does not benefit them. Nonetheless, shared ethnicity does not prevent individuals from being critical of the implemented policy decision itself.Peer reviewe

Transpressionally driven rotation in the external orogenic zones of the Western Carpathians and the SW British Variscides

Analysis of two examples of obliquely convergent external orogenic zones, the western part of the Western Carpathians and the northern Variscan margin in southwest Britain, indicates the operation of two dominant stress rotation mechanisms in the transpressionally deformed thrust wedge: (1) the rotation of an inferred stress field; (2) the rotation of a deforming body within a constant stress field. In the thinnest, external parts of the thrust wedge, σ1 stress trajectory rotations of up to 90° occur with deformation having a relatively small component of pure shear. Towards the hinterland, σ1 stress trajectories in thicker parts of the wedge are progressively less rotated but develop a larger component of pure shear. Resultant σ1 trajectories are curvilinear, lying parallel to the orogenic convergence vector in the hinterland but diverging progressively from this direction towards the foreland, where they lie at high angles to the external margin in frontal parts of the thrust wedge. It is argued that balanced cross-sections should be constructed parallel to the curved trace of the σ1 stress trajectories

I Don’t Like It Unless It’s for Me: Voters’ Perceptions of Pork-Barrel Politics in Central and Eastern Europe

Public resources are often allocated neither effectively nor equitably, and they serve as a tool for securing re-election. Despite compelling evidence for pork-barrel politics, little is known about voters’ perceptions of this practice. Moreover, limited findings from Western countries are also contradictory – voters perceive such a strategy both positively and negatively. To contribute with findings from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), we conducted two survey experiments – in Czechia and Slovakia – which randomized people’s exposure to fairness of the distribution and profit for the respondent’s country. Our results suggest that once voters realize their profit from pork-barrel politics, they are less critical of unfair distributions of resources and the responsible decision-maker

Strike-slip fault bridge fluid pumping mechanisms: insights from field-based paleostress analysis and numerical modelling

We present a finite-element study of stress perturbation in evolving compressive and extensional strike-slip fault bridges. The results are compared with a fracture study of a compressive bridge at St Donats, UK. Horizontally interbedded calcareous mudstone and bioclastic calcilutite at St Donats have a distinct vertical permeability anisotropy. This sedimentary sequence behaves as a set of horizontal aquifers. The fluid flow in these aquifers is sensitive to mean stress gradients. Paleostress analysis of field fracture data, verified by finite-element modelling, indicates a rotation of σ1 towards parallelism with boundary faults inside the growing compressive bridge. Boundary faults and bridge faults recorded numerous fluid flow events. The modelled mean stress pattern shows a regional maximum within the bridge and local maxima/minima pairs at boundary fault tips. Finite-element modelling of an extensional bridge indicates that σ3 rotates towards parallelism with boundary faults. The mean stress pattern is similar to the pattern in compressive bridge but with maxima and minima locations interchanged. The stress patterns are reestablished by each stress build-up preceding the rupturation of the boundary faults throughout the development stages of strike-slip fault bridges. Mean stress gradients developed pre-failure control the fluid flow in fractures of the strike-slip fault system at and after the end of each stress build-up and the fluid flow in boundary faults post-failure. Fracture reactivation and new fracture generation within an evolving bridge is a process consisting of multiple successive events that retain the storage capacity of the bridge. Rupture and sealing of the main bounding-faults is a step-wise process that opens and closes fluid conduits between areas with different pressures