MODERN HORIZONTAL MOVEMENTS OF THE DNiEPER-DONETS DEPRESSION

Using the variation finite element method elaborated for visco elastic foliated shells, and the calculation of GPS ? data about inner plate horizontal movements, we carried out computer modeling of modern horizontal movements of the earth crust in the Dnieper-Donets Depression (DDD) region at the ETRS89 reference system rigidly connected with Eurasian continental lithospheric plate. The results of modeling show that modern horizontal movements of the entire region have approximately the same north-western direction. However, the intensity of the modern earth crust horizontal movements in this region shows variability. The most intensive horizontal movements can be observed in the south-eastern part of DDD and closely fitting to it Ukrainian shield zone. The horizontal velocity amplitudes can reach 3?3,5 mm/yr here. Along north-western direction horizontal movements intensity gradually decreases to 1?1,5 mm/yr; whereas in Woronezkiy crystalline massive zone closely fitting to the north-eastern part DDD border, we can observe significant decreasing of horizontal movements intensity to 0,5?1 mm/yr.