Block Rotations in NW Iran in Response to the Arabia-Eurasia Collision Constrained by Paleomagnetism

Niknam A., van der Boon A., Rezaeian M., KAYMAKCI N., Langereis C.

Tectonics, cilt.43, sa.8, 2024 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 43 Sayı: 8
  • Basım Tarihi: 2024
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1029/2023tc008139
  • Dergi Adı: Tectonics
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), Compendex, Environment Index, Geobase, INSPEC
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Arabia-Eurasia collision, paleomagnetism, strike-slip fault, vertical axis rotation
  • Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Northwest Iran is a seismically active region dominated by NW-SE trending strike-slip faults, such as the North Tabriz and Qosha Dagh faults, and smaller NNE-SSW striking faults. The Bozgush Mountains are shaped by these faults and divided into two domains that show a difference in strike. To quantify rotational tectonic deformation in NW Iran, we performed a paleomagnetic study along three transects of the Bozgush and Qosha Dagh Mountains with 127 sites. Our large new paleomagnetic data set shows that the Bozgush Mountains did not rotate as a single rigid block. In the western domain of the Bozgush Mountains, we find evidence for clockwise vertical axis rotations of ∼40°, while the eastern domain has rotated up to ∼80° clockwise. Declinations of the western Bozgush domain fit well with observed declinations in the Qosha Dagh Mountains. Fault patterns show that the eastern domain of the Bozgush Mountains is divided by a set of NNE-SSW striking sinistral strike-slip faults, which created domino-style blocks that accommodated the additional 40° of rotation. We estimate that these extra rotations have resulted in around 4 km of N-S shortening and more than 1.5 km of differential uplift.