Record of Cenozoic sedimentation from the Amanos Mountains, Southern Turkey: Implications for the inception and evolution of the Arabia-Eurasia continental collision

The sedimentary succession of the southern Amanos Mountains, bordering the eastern margin of the Karasu Rift in south central Turkey, provides a record of environmental change from the Eocene (Lutetian) to the Upper Miocene (Tortonian) that charts the final evolution of the northern margin of the Arabian plate prior to and during continental collision. Eocene shallow-marine carbonates (Haci{dotless}daǧi{dotless} Formation) are interpreted as the youngest unit of the Arabian passive margin succession deposited on a northwards facing carbonate ramp. Subsequent deformation and uplift took place during the Oligocene represented by folding of the Eocene and older strata. This is interpreted to be the result of initial continental collision between Arabia and Eurasia. Unconformably overlying the Eocene limestone are Lower Miocene conglomerates, sandstones and palaeosols up to 150 m thick (Ki{dotless}ci{dotless} Formation). These were deposited in a range of marginal marine settings consisting of alluvial fan/fan delta facies, flood plain as well as basinal facies. Subsequently, during the Middle Miocene, local patch reefs developed in restricted areas (Kepez Formation) followed by Upper Miocene sediments (Gökdere Formation) composed of relatively deep water hemipelagic marl, with clastic interbeds, which represent a transgression during this period. The Upper Miocene becomes sandier upwards, this records the regression from the relatively deep water facies to coastal sediments. Water depth gradually became shallower until during Pliocene time the area became continental in nature. By the Quaternary rifting had resulted in the development of the Karasu Rift with active alluvial fans along the margins and braided rivers depositing coarse conglomerates in the axial zone. These conglomerates are interbedded with basaltic lava flows that resulted from the region extension across the area. This research shows that initial continental collision occurred in this area after the Lutetian (40.4 Ma) and before the Aquitanian (23.03 Ma) supporting the hypothesis that the southern Neotethys Ocean closed during the Late Eocene to Oligocene. This was a time of climatic change including the onset of southern hemisphere glaciation, in which the closure of the southern Neotethys may have had played an important role. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Block and boulder accumulations on the southern coast of Crete (Greece): evidence for the 365 CE tsunami in the Eastern Mediterranean

The Eastern Mediterranean is one of the most seismically active regions in Europe. Crete, located in the centre of the Eastern Mediterranean, should experience tsunamis resulting from large magnitude earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. At three locations boulders were observed that may relate to tsunami or storm events. At Lakki, the size of the boulders slightly favours a tsunami origin for deposition. By contrast, at Kommos boulder size and geomorphology is consistent with storm parameters in the Mediterranean. The most compelling evidence for tsunami transport is found at Diplomo Petris, where a lithologically varied grouping of large boulders (≤ 690 t) is exposed at sea level. The calculated storm wave heights (15 m) required to transport the observed boulders significantly exceeds winter averages; therefore, these accumulations are interpreted as tsunami deposits. Radiocarbon dating of encrusting biological material was undertaken to constrain periods of boulder motion. Encrustations from Diplomo Petris and Lakki pre-date the 365 CE earthquake suggesting that this event transported the largest boulders; the first time boulder deposits have been identified on Crete from this tsunami. Therefore, these data are important for developing local and regional hazard assessments but also to inform numerical models of tsunami propagation in the Mediterranean

Geomorphic and geological constraints on the active normal faulting of the Gediz (Alaşehir) Graben, Western Turkey.

The Gediz (Alaşehir) Graben is located in the highly tectonically active region of Western Turkey. Extension due to regional geodynamic controls has resulted in a broadly two-phase evolution of the graben; firstly, low-angle normal faulting relating to the exhumation of the Menderes Massif metamorphic core complex took place between 16 - 2.6 Ma. Secondly, high-angle normal faulting initiated ~ 2 Ma forming the Gediz and other E-W trending grabens in the region. Here we quantify the throw rate along the fault array over the last 2.6, 2 and 0.7 Ma using structural and geological constraints, along with analysis of topographic relief as a proxy for footwall uplift. We derive, for the first time, time averaged rates of fault motion from 0.4 mm/yr to 1.3 mm/yr along the strike of the Gediz Graben, with variation in throw-rate associated with the geometry of individual fault strands. Patterns in throw-rate along strike of the graben bounding fault array also suggest that the fault segments have become linked during the last 2.6 - 2 Ma, possibly at 0.8 – 0.7 Ma. Furthermore, these data suggest that an earthquake occurring along the graben bounding fault could have a maximum predicted Mw of 6.3 - 7.6

Normal fault growth and linkage in the Gediz (Alasehir) Graben, Western Turkey, revealed by transient river long-profiles and slope-break knickpoints

The Gediz (Alaşehir) Graben is located in the highly tectonically active and seismogenic region of Western Turkey. The rivers upstream of the normal fault-bounded graben each contain a non-lithologic knickpoint, including those that drain through inferred fault segment boundaries. Knickpoint heights measured vertically from the fault scale with footwall relief and documented fault throw (vertical displacement). Consequently, we deduce these knickpoints were initiated by an increase in slip rate on the basin-bounding fault, driven by linkage of the three main fault segments of the high-angle graben bounding fault array. Fault interaction theory and ratios of channel steepness suggest that the slip rate enhancement factor on linkage was a factor of 3. We combine this information with geomorphic and structural constraints to estimate that linkage took place between 0.6 Ma and 1 Ma. Calculated pre- and post-linkage throw rates are 0.6 and 2 mm/yr respectively. Maximum knickpoint retreat rates upstream of the faults range from 4.5 to 28 mm/yr, faster than for similar catchments upstream of normal faults in the Central Apennines and the Hatay Graben of Turkey, and implying a fluvial landscape response time of 1.6 to 2.7 Myr. We explore the relative controls of drainage area and precipitation on these retreat rates, and conclude that while climate variation and fault throw rate partially explain the variations seen, lithology remains a potentially important but poorly characterised variable