Heat Flow Measurements at the Danube Deep-Sea Fan, Western Black Sea

Seafloor heat flow measurements are utilized to determine the geothermal regime of Danube deep-sea fan in western Black Sea and presented larger context regional gas hydrate occurrences. Heat data were collected across paleo-channels water depths 550–1460 m. levees ranges from 25 30 mW m?2 but is up 65 on channel floors. Gravity coring reveals sediment layers typical Sea, consisting three late Pleistocene Holocene units, notably red clay within lowermost unit cored. derived bottom-simulating reflector (BSR), assumed represent base stability zone (GHSZ), deviates seafloor measurements. These discrepancies linked either fast sedimentation or slumping associated variations physical properties. Topographic effects account 50% deviations average values. Combined with climate-induced temperature sea-level since last glacial maximum large uncertainties prediction GHSZ remain. A representative value ~30 for study region this may be 100%.