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The structure of the Pannonian basin is the result of distinct modes of Mid-Late Miocene extension exerting a profound effect on the lithospheric configuration, which continues even today. As the first manifestation of extensional collapse, large magnitude, metamorphic core complex style extension took place at the beginning of the Mid-Miocene in certain parts of the basin. Extrapolation of the present-day high heat flow in the basin, corrected for the blanketing effect of the basin fill, indicates a hot and thin lithosphere at the onset of extension. This initial condition, combined with the relatively thick crust inherited from earlier Alpine compressional episodes, appears to be responsible for the core complex type extension at the beginning of the syn-rift period. This type of extension is well documented in the northwestern Pannonian basin. Newly obtained deep reflection seismic and fission-track data integrated with well data from the southeastern part of the basin suggests that it developed in a similar fashion. Shortly after the initial period, the style of syn-rift extension changed to a wide-rift style, covering an area of much larger geographic extent. The associated normal faults revealed by industry reflection seismic data tend to dominate within the upper crust, obscuring pre-existing structures. However, several deep seismic profiles, constrained by gravity and geothermal modeling, image the entire lithosphere beneath the basin. It is the Mid-Miocene synrift extension which is still reflected in the structure of the Pannonian lithosphere, on the scale of the whole basin system. The gradually diminishing extension during the Late Miocene/Pliocene could not advance to the localization of extension into narrow rift zones in the Pannonian region, except some deep subbasins such as the Makó/Békés and Danube basins. These basins are underlain coincidently by anomalously thin crust (22–25 km) and lithosphere (45–60 km). Significant departures (up to 130 mW m −2 ) from the average present-day surface heat flow ( c. 90 mW m −2 ) and intensive Pliocene alkaline magmatism are also regarded as evidence for the initiation of two newly defined narrow rift zones (Tisza and Duna) in the Pannonian basin system. However, both of these narrow rifts failed since the final docking of the Eastern Carpathians onto the European foreland excluded any further extension of the back-arc region.

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Recent (active) tectonics of the Pannonian Basin and its surroundings has been investigated using data from over 900 earthquake focal mechanism solutions, 200 borehole breakout analyses, some in-situ stress measurements and by applying finite element modelling technique. We have established a database for indicators of recent stress, and analysed the stress state of the region by the methods of the World Stress Map project. The alignments of the largest horizontal stresses have been mapped and the tectonic regimes were also determined. We present a map of seismoactive faults and seismic energy release combining historical and modern seismicity data and results of local seismotectonic studies. The pattern of earthquake slip vectors and the style of faulting are summarised in order to characterise the active deformations. Our results show that the alignment of the largest horizontal stress exhibits a radial pattern around the Adriatic sea. In the Southern Alps and northwestern Dinarides the largest horizontal stress (SH) is aligned N-S and thrust faulting is dominant. Along the southern Dinarides and the Dalmatian coast thrusting with strike-slip component can be observed. Here the trajectories of SH are aligned NE-SW. E-W aligned SH trajectories and normal faulting are characteristic of the Rhodope Massif. Thrust faulting of the Vrancea region seems to be distinct from the compressive regime around the Adriatic sea. In the Pannonian Basin borehole breakout analyses show that the direction of largest horizontal stress is changing from N-S in the western part to NE-SW in the east. Most of focal mechanisms and available hydraulic fracturing measurements indicate strike-slip and thrust faulting inside the basin. The lack of normal faulting mechanisms indicates that the extension of the basin has been terminated and a new compressive stress regime prevails. The crustal deformation of the area is controlled by the counterclockwise rotation of Adria with respect to Europe around a pole at the 45°N latitude and 6–10°E longitudes, which is inferred from satellite geodesy and supported by earthquake slip vectors. This movement can explain the shortening of the Southern Alps, and squeezing eastward the region between the Adriatic sea and the Mur-Murz line. Rotation of Adria generates thrusts along the Dalmatian coast, and this compressive deformation extends into the land far from the coastline, and leads to squeezing of the Pannonian Basin from the southwest. The seismicity pattern in the Pannonian Basin shows that earthquakes are restricted to the crust and the control by pre-existing (mostly Miocene) fault zones is strongly masked by random activity due to general weakness of the lithosphere. Although earthquakes are of small to medium magnitude (M ≤ 6), the cummulative energy release is remarkably higher than in the surrounding Carpathian arc. The Vrancea zone is the only exception, where high energy release in the crust and down to 200 km depth is associated with a relict subducted slab. Finite element stress modelling has been performed in order to simulate the observed stress pattern and, hence, to understand the importance of different possible stress sources in and around the Pannonian Basin. The observed radial stress pattern of the region can be well explained by the counterclockwise rotation of the Adriatic microplate as a first-order stress source. Additional boundary conditions, such as the active deformation at the Vrancea zone and the role of rigid crustal blocks at the Bohemian Massif and the Moesian Platform, can significantly effect the style of deformation and the alignment of the largest horizontal stress. Furthermore, our calculations show that differences in the crustal thickness and the presence of large scale fault zones in the Pannonian region have only local influence on the model results.

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