Pliocene-Quaternary tectonic evolution of the Gulf of Gokova, southwest Turkey

Tur H., Yaltırak C., Elitez I., Sankavak K. T.

TECTONOPHYSICS, cilt.638, ss.158-176, 2015 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 638
  • Basım Tarihi: 2015
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.tecto.2014.11.008
  • Dergi Adı: TECTONOPHYSICS
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.158-176
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Anatolian escape, Rotational tectonics, Aegean extension, Shallow seismic, Multibeam bathymetry, Tectonic subsidence, METAMORPHIC CORE COMPLEX, HELLENIC SUBDUCTION ZONE, NORTH ANATOLIAN FAULT, MASSIF WESTERN TURKEY, MENDERES-MASSIF, GEDIZ GRABEN, AEGEAN SEA, ANAXIMANDER MOUNTAINS, ACTIVE TECTONICS, CYPRUS ARCS
  • İstanbul Üniversitesi-Cerrahpaşa Adresli: Hayır

Özet

Evolution of the east-west-trending Gokova Graben structure is related to the north-south extension of the Aegean segment of the Aegean-Anatolian Microplate. The Pliocene-Quaternary successions surrounding the onland portion of the Gokova Graben as well as coeval successions within the marine portion of the graben are cut by at least three families of faults that strike northwest-southeast, east-west and east-northeast-west-southwest. These orientations are inconsistent with a simple north-south extensional regime. Interpretation of seismic reflection profiles, multibeam bathymetty and GPS vectors indicates that the Gokova Graben developed as a lazy-S-shaped graben in the back-arc setting north of the Hellenic Arc. A counterclockwise rotation of the Aegean segment of the Aegean-Anatolian Microplate is the suggested mechanism for this geometry, as subduction zone rolled back occurred during the Pliocene-Quaternary. The Gulf of Gokova is the youngest of a series of basins that developed within this large back-arc system, including the Nisyros, Karpathos, and Kamilonisi basins, collectively named to as the Gokova-Nisyros-Karpathos Graben. It is proposed that this graben experienced a scissor-like opening initiating from the west during the Pliocene and progressing eastward during the Quaternary. Faults that are seemingly un-correlated onland and in the marine areas become remarkably aligned when the Marmaris-Rhodes Block is progressively rotated by 6 degrees counterclockwise relative to the Mugla Block using a pole position located within the Gulf of Gokova. The scissor-like opening of the westernmost regions of the Maya Graben likely occurred during the late Pliocene, whereas the central and eastern portions of the graben developed during the early-middle Pleistocene and late Pleistocene-Holocene, respectively. The onset of the opening of the westernmost segment of the Golcova-Nisyros-Karpathos Graben occurred at a time earlier than the late Pliocene. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evolution of the east–west-trending Gökova Graben structure is related to the north–south extension of the
Aegean segment of the Aegean–Anatolian Microplate. The Pliocene–Quaternary successions surrounding the
onland portion of the Gökova Graben as well as coeval successions within the marine portion of the graben are
cut by at least three families of faults that strike northwest–southeast, east–west and east-northeast–west-southwest.
These orientations are inconsistentwith a simple north–south extensional regime. Interpretation of seismic
reflection profiles,multibeambathymetry and GPS vectors indicates that the Gökova Graben developed as a lazy-
S-shaped graben in the back-arc setting north of the Hellenic Arc. A counterclockwise rotation of the Aegean
segment of the Aegean–Anatolian Microplate is the suggested mechanism for this geometry, as subduction
zone rolled back occurred during the Pliocene–Quaternary. The Gulf of Gökova is the youngest of a series of basins
that developedwithin this large back-arc system, including the Nisyros, Karpathos, and Kamilonisi basins, collectively
named to as the Gökova–Nisyros–Karpathos Graben. It is proposed that this graben experienced a scissorlike
opening initiating fromthewest during the Pliocene and progressing eastward during the Quaternary. Faults
that are seemingly un-correlated onland and in the marine areas become remarkably aligned when the
Marmaris-Rhodes Block is progressively rotated by 6° counterclockwise relative to the Muğla Block using a
pole position located within the Gulf of Gökova. The scissor-like opening of the westernmost regions of the
Gökova Graben likely occurred during the late Pliocene, whereas the central and eastern portions of the graben
developed during the early–middle Pleistocene and late Pleistocene–Holocene, respectively. The onset of the
opening of the westernmost segment of the Gökova–Nisyros–Karpathos Graben occurred at a time earlier than
the late Pliocene.