Luminescence ages of feldspar contaminated quartz from fluvial terrace sediments

This study focuses on obtaining luminescence ages in feldspar contaminated quartz from well-developed fluvial terraces of the Yesilirmak (Iris) river located inside the eastern North Anatolian Fault Shear Zone (NAFZ). We applied a technique based on conventional single-aliquot regenerative-dose (SAR) protocol, modified with an IR pre-treatment to reduce the OSL contribution from feldspar for accurately measuring the dose in quartz. All investigated samples showed an ability to measure a beta dose given in the laboratory, a so called dose recovery test. The dependence of the equivalent dose on thermal treatment was also examined. Dose rate calculations were based on spectral analysis of gamma measurements by a field spectrometer on site. The efforts to establish a chronology using the IR modified SAR technique produced reliable dose results in stratigraphic order. Results were reproducible and grouped broadly between 35-109 ka for Bektemur, 32-36 ka for Kizilca, 19-47 ka for Aksalur and 35-44 ka for Sahinkaya. Obtained results show that the studied area was controlled by tectonic activities within the last 50 ka and the sample Aksalur 2 was the loess deposit formed by aeolian activity.Publisher's Versio

Paleolithic occupations of the Gollu Dag, Central Anatolia, Turkey

Systematic archaeological surface reconnaissance of the Gollu Dag. volcanic complex from 2007 to 2012 documented more than 230 findspots with Paleolithic artifacts, ranging from isolated finds to extensive and dense scatters of artifacts. Most of the activities represented relate to exploitation of the rich obsidian resources in the region. Paleolithic artifacts are attributed mainly to the Middle Paleolithic based on the presence of Levallois technology but there is a substantial Lower Paleolithic component represented by handaxes and other large bifacial tools. Upper and Epipaleolithic sites and artifacts are scarce or absent in the survey sample. The distributions of handaxes and Levallois elements differ substantially, reflecting differences in site preservation and exposure as well as organization of prehistoric activities. Multiple variants of Levallois are represented but centripetal preferential and unipolar flake production dominate. The frequent co-occurrence of different Levallois forms suggests flexible reduction strategies. Distributions of different classes of artifact across the survey area indicate that the Middle Paleolithic occupations of Gollu Dag. were not entirely oriented toward workshop activities

Kinematics and Basin Formation Along the Ezinepazar-Sungurlu Fault Zone, NE Anatolia, Turkey

The Ezinepazar-Sungurlu Fault (EzSF) is a major offshoot of the dextral North Anatolian Fault (NAF) zone, which bifurcates from the main fault strand around the Niksar pull-apart basin (37 degrees E) and strikes through the Central Anatolian Block for 200 km to the west (34 degrees E). The easternmost segment of the EzSF, the Ezinepazar Fault (EzF), which ruptured during the 1939 Erzincan earthquake (Mw= 7.8), has a very remarkable expression as a single-strand fault. Micromammal dating of young sediments along this segment indicate that the EzF was initiated during the Middle Pleistocene (0.7-1 Ma) and propagated westward accumulating 6.5 +/- 0.5 km maximum morphological offset. The central segment of the EzSF, the Delicay Fault (DF), is expressed as an en-echelon pattern and controlled the formation of a narrow fault-wedge basin (Aydinca Plain). The stepover between the DE and its western continuation, the Geldingen Fault (GF), forms a young pull-apart basin (Geldingen Basin) where the maximum morphological offset is measured at 3.5 +/- 1 km. In the westernmost part of the fault zone, the deformation zone widens and the EzSF bifurcates into the Mecitoza (ME) and the Sungurlu faults (SF). The MF controlled the deposition of continental elastics, dated as Late Miocene-Early Pliocene by using mammal chronology (MN13-14). The Neogene-Quaternary stratigraphy of the basins along the EzSF indicates two phases of faulting-related basin formation. The first period took part during the Late Miocene-Early Pliocene; the second phase started with the initiation of the EzF in the east during the Middle Pleistocene. The western propagation of the fault caused the reactivation of older tectonic lines as an element of the NAF system. The offset distribution measured along the EzSF shows that accumulated long-term slip is not uniform along the fault, as it decreases gradually where the fault becomes distant from the NAF main strand. This projection is applicable to present day slip rate distribution along the EzSF, which is shown also by GPS measurements and is therefore important for earthquake hazard estimates for the region

Geology of the Caldiran Fault, Eastern Turkey: Age, slip rate and implications on the characteristic slip behaviour

The Caldiran Fault is a strike slip fault with a dextral slip in East Anatolia. The activity on this fault was marked by the November, 241976 earthquake (Mw: 7.1) which produced an similar to 50 km long surface rupture and caused 3840 fatalities, which was close to half of the population living along the fault at that time. Together with the North Tabriz Fault in Iran, it is regarded as the southern boundary of the Caucasus Block. The fault has an average annual slip rate of 8.1 from 10.8 mm yr(-1), as derived from elastic block modelling. We present results from a detailed morphotectonic survey along the fault. The Caldiran Fault is comprised of three segments, each of which is eparated by bend structures that bend towards the SW with a total change in strike of 20 degrees from east to west. The offsets of lithological contact markers show that the long-term geological slip rate for the Caldiran fault is approximately 3.27 +/- 0.17 mm yr(-1) for a duration of approximately 290 ka. The cumulative offset of the fault was determined from an analysis of a dome-shaped rhyolitic volcano which constrained the age of the fault to the Middle-Late Pleistocene. An analysis of small-scale morphological offset markers indicates a characteristic slip behaviour of the Caldiran Fault for the last 3 events with an average offset of 2.6 m. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

The rodent fauna from the Neolithic human settlement of Tepecik-Ciftlik (Nigde, Turkey)

The primary aim of this study was to establish for the very first time the results on the rodent fauna gathered from the ongoing Neolithic excavations at the Tepecik-ciftlik site in southern Cappadocia (Nigde, Turkey). So far, the fauna being study is represented by species of arvicolines (Microtus cf. arvalis and Arvicola cf. amphibius), murines (Mus cf. musculus), sousliks (Spermophilus xanthoprymnus), hamsters (Mesocricetus brandti) and molerats (Spalax xanthodon), and their remains are described in detail. Paleoenvironmental assumption based on common preferences of the fauna elements indicates, at first sight, a rather dry steppe environment with sparse plant cover or perennial short grasses. On the other hand, the presence of Arvicola cf. amphibius points out streams and marsh-like vegetation cover with bodies of water . The predation or burn marks observed on some specimens and the presence of subterraneous rodents raise questions concerning their taphonomy

The Quaternary Climatic and Tectonic Development of the Murat River Valley (Muş Basin, Eastern Turkey) as Recorded by Fluvial Deposits Dated by Optically Stimulated Luminescence

The paper describes climatic and tectonic effects on fluvial processes of East Anatolia. This study from the Muş Basin contains three alluvial terrace levels (T3-T1) ranging from 30–35 m to 3–5 m above the present Murat River in its middle section. In order to provide a chronology for the evaluation of the significant, effects of climatic changes and tectonic uplift, we used optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of the river deposits of the youngest (T3) and medium terrace (T2). The ages from these terrace deposits show that the T3 has formed approximately 6.5 ka ago, i.e., during the last part of the Holocene (MIS 1) and T2 has formed nearly 25 ka ago, i.e., during MIS 2 at the ending of the last glacial period. According to these results, it appears that the Murat River established its terrace sequences both in cold and warm periods. The variations in climate oriented fluvial evolution between the East Anatolia fluvial system and the temperate-periglacial fluvial systems in Europe may be the conclusion of different vegetation cover and melting thicker snow coverings in cold periods

Quaternary evolution of the Suluova Basin: implications on tectonics and palaeonvironments of the Central North Anatolian Shear Zone

The Suluova Basin is a prominent member of the wide transtensional Amasya Shear Zone located at the central part of the North Anatolian Shear Zone. This basin is crucial and provides well-resolved data to understand the evolution of transtensional tectonic zones as well as the morphological and paleoenvironmental changes of North Anatolia during the Quaternary. Analysis of detailed stratigraphical sections, faulting data, and mammal paleontology reveals that the Suluova Basin has started to evolve as a closed half-graben along the NW–SE-trending, SW-dipping basin bounding fault zone with normal slip in the early Quaternary. Initial sedimentation mode of the basin was dominated by alluvial fan facies associations. Progressive basin subsidence resulted in an expansion of a freshwater lake at the basin depocenter as faults propagated westwards. Further extensions in the basin were caused to initiate the E–W-trending southern tectonic boundary. Newly created accommodation space hosted a vast freshwater lake during the Calabrian (∼1.8–0.78 Ma) acting as a refugia for a rich faunal assemblage of large and small land mammals. The conditions prior to the onset of Middle Pleistocene (MIS19, ∼0.79 Ma) is marked with increasing regional erosion where paleo-Lake Suluova was captured by the regional river system. Synchronously, the next phase of the shear zone formation was introduced with E–W-trending dextral and NE–SW-trending sinistral strike-slip faults, cross-cutting the former basin structure, forming new depocenters. These faults are still active with noticeable seismic activity and comprise future risks for the major cities of the region.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

Obsidian outcrops from Nemrut volcano (eastern Anatolia): evidence in favor of an exploitable source, first results

Archeological studies have demonstrated that many Prehistoric artefacts in obsidian found in the Near East have a chemical affinity with obsidian out-cropping in the Nemrut volcano. In the archaeological literature, Mount Nemrut is considered as one of the most important obsidian sources used by prehistoric societies. During our two field works in 2013 and 2014, we prospected a wide area on and around Nemrut volcano. Our findings confirm the location of the obsidian outcrops described in the literature. According to our observation, obsidian on Mount Nemrut volcano is generally not exploitable for chopping tools. Most of the studied obsidians we defined on the field, present a facies with numerous phenocrysts and cracks, which is not compatible with a good knapping quality. However, we identified a new outcrop associated with obsidian artefacts such as nuclei and rough flakes. Geological samples of the obsidian from this outcrop present all a very different fades compare to those of others Mount Nemrut obsidians: obsidian from this area does not show any phenocryst or cracks, and they are very homogeneous and uniform. These characteristics are in favor to knapping criteria. Comparatively to the other known obsidian outcrops in the Nemrut volcano, we can assume here that this obsidian outcrop is, to date, the only source one that could have been exploited, by Prehistoric people on the Nemrut volcano. Our work, using chemical analyzes (LA-ICP-MS), petrology and field observation enhances characteristics for workable obsidian that depends on the modality of emplacement. This last one should have been different from the other outcrops to provide a different facies

Comparative study of the marine terraces along the Bulgarian and Turkish Black Sea coasts for determination of the tectonic effect and environmental change

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