Histoire Quaternaire du Danube Delta, Essai d’interprétation des faciès des dépôts deltaïques. Version in extenso, republiée d’après Panin, 1972

Abstract. The present article is in extenso version of the paper « Histoire Quaternaire du Delta du Danube. Essai d’interprétation des faciès des dépôts deltaïques » signed by N. Panin that was published in 1972 in Cercetari Marine No. 4, p. 5-15. The first author of the present paper decided to present the initial in extenso version of the article as an historical document representing a step forward in the knowledge of the Danube Delta geological structure and evolution. A sedimentological analysis at the knowledge level of the seventies of data from more than 100 drillings is presented and consequently an interpretation of the delta geological structure and development is given. This new interpretation was based on a modern at that time knowledge about the deltaic sedimentary processes and the Black Sea evolution during the Quaternary. It was proposed as an alternative to the older hypothesis of Liteanu et al. (1961). The new hypothesis stated that the Danube Delta represents a Holocene formation, corresponding to a highstand of the Black Sea. The Neoeuxinian (Würmian) lowstand determined a quite total removal of older deposits. At least two transgressive sequences have been recognised (dated as Old Black Sea phase and New Black Sea phase, respectively) separated by a regressive sequence, probably of Phanagorian age. Two main sedimentary environments were recognised: (1) the upstream part of the delta formed under river influenced sedimentary environment, situated from the apex to a line constituting the western boundary of the Jibrieni – Letea – Caraorman littoral accumulative formations and (2) the external, eastern part of the delta, from the above mentioned line eastward, where the sedimentary environment is predominantly influenced by the sea.