Crustal structure and major tectonic features of the South Caspian Basin: Insight from Bouguer gravity data

The South Caspian Basin is characterized by high tectonic activity, which resulted in the presence of significant hydrocarbon resources that are currently being exploited. This has led to a surge in research efforts, as the basin's substantial hydrocarbon reserves, coupled with its complex tectonic history, attract considerable scientific interest. This research study aims to contribute to our understanding of the crustal structure of the South Caspian Basin. To achieve this objective, we employed geophysical techniques, with a primary focus on analyzing Bouguer gravity data, power spectrum analysis, and edge detection methods. This comprehensive approach, integrating diverse methodologies, provided substantial advancements in our understanding of the basin's geological framework, with valuable insights into the tectonic processes operating in the region. In the Absheron-Prebalkhan zone, the Moho depth was constrained to an estimated 42 km. The investigation further reveals a constriction of the area towards the east, reaching a depth of 36 km near Prebalkhan and a final depth of 39 km within Prebalkhan itself. The total horizontal gradient technique and the logistic filter were implemented on the gravity data of the study region to figure out faults, geological boundaries, and structural lineaments within the South Caspian Basin.