Deformation structural style of the rioni foreland fold-and-thrust belt, western greater caucasus: Insight from the balanced cross-section

The Rioni foreland fold-and-thrust belt is part of the Greater Caucasus pro-wedge and is one of the most important examples of the collision-driven far-field deformation of the Arabia-Eurasia convergence zone. Here we show the deformation structural style of the Rioni foreland fold-and-thrust belt based on seismic reflection profiles and regional balanced cross-section. The main style of deformation within the Rioni foreland fold-and-thrust belt is represented by a set of fault-propagation folds, duplexes, and triangle zone. The regional balanced cross-section shows that fault-propagation folds above the upper detachment level can develop by piggyback and break-back thrust sequences. Formation of fault-bend fold duplex structures above the lower detachment is related to piggyback thrust sequences. A balanced section restoration of compressional structures across the Rioni foreland fold-and-thrust belt provides a minimum estimate of shortening of −40%, equivalent −42.78 km. The synclines within the Rioni foreland fold-and-thrust belt are filled by the Middle Miocene-Pleistocene shallow marine and continental syn-tectonic sediments, forming a series of typical thrust-top basins. Fault-propagation folds and duplex structures formed the main structure of the thrust-top basin. The evolution of the thrust-top basins was mainly controlled by the kinematics of thrust sequences. Using end-member modes of thrust sequences, the thrust-top basins are divided into: 1) Type I-piggyback basin, 2) Type II-break-back basin, and 3) Type III—formation of thrust-top basin characterized by bi-vergent geometry and related to combined, piggyback and piggyback back thrust sequences

Estimation of Zugdidi and Tbilisi thermal water Deposits

Owing to its geological location Georgia has considerable resources of natural thermal waters and has long tradition of their exploitation. Nowadays approximately 250 natural thermal springs and artificial wells are known, as well as spring clusters with water temperature of 30-108 degrees. Although the geothermal potential of the country exhibits a promising resource, currently the situation is changed for the worse at the majority of thermal water deposits in Georgia, since the irrational exploitation of thermal deposits and due to climate changes led to decrease of well pressure and debits. This paper summarizes the geothermal potential of Georgia based on existing data and outlines one of the major projects that have already implemented to assess the potential of Tbilisi geothermal field using the hydrodynamic digital modeling approach. As a result of modeling work, the 10 years perspective of thermal deposit of Tbilisi was assessed for present conditions of exploitation as well as its behavior under simulated geothermal circulation system

STUDY INTERACTION BETWEEN SEISMICITY AND GAS EMISSION ON THE TERRITORY OF GEORGIA

Natural gases emission are a very sensitive indicative for geological, especially for geotectonic state. As it was expected in distributing of gas associations the properties of the geological structure of Georgia has been obviously revealed. In order to study the gas distribution (CO2, Rn, He, CH4 etc.) and define its quantitative characteristics the field work was organized in 2013 on the territory of Georgia. In order to study of regional seismicity influence on gas emission has been organized the real time monitoring of free gas discharge CO2, and Rn emission, also air temperature and atmosphere pressure on the Borehole # 37 in Borjomi