Neotectonics of East Anatolian Plateau (Turkey) and Lesser Caucasus: implication for transition from thrusting to strike-slip faulting

Kocyigit A., Yilmaz A., Adamia S., Kuloshvili S.

GEODINAMICA ACTA, vol.14, pp.177-195, 2001 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 14
  • Publication Date: 2001
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/s0985-3111(00)01064-0
  • Journal Name: GEODINAMICA ACTA
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.177-195
  • Keywords: East Anatolian Plateau, Caucasus, neotectonics, ramp basin, strike-slip basin, TECTONICS
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: No

Abstract

The east Anatolian plateau and the Lesser Caucasus are characterised and shaped by three major structures: (1) NW-and NE-trending dextral to sinistral active strike-slip faults, (2) N-S to NNW-trending fissures and /or Plio-Quaternary volcanoes, and (3) a 5-km thick, undeformed Plio-Quaternary continental volcanosedimentary sequence accumulated in Various strike-slip basins. In contrast to the situation in the east Anatolian plateau and the Lesser Caucasus, the Transcaucasus and the Great Caucasus are characterised by WNW-trending active thrust to reverse faults, folds, and 6-km thick, undeformed (except for the fault-bounded basin margins) continuous Oligocene-Quaternary molassic sequence accumulated in actively developing ramp basins. Hence, the neotectonic regime in the Great Caucasus and the Transcaucasus is compressional-contractional, and Oligocene-Quaternary in age; whereas it is compressional-extensional, and Plio-Quaternary in age in the east Anatolian plateau and the Lesser Caucasus.