The Palu-Uluova Strike-Slip Basin in the East Anatolian Fault System, Turkey: Its Transition from the Palaeotectonic to Neotectonic Stage

Authors : SERAP ÇOLAK, ERCAN AKSOY, ALİ KOÇYİĞİT & MURAT İNCEÖZ

Pages : 547-570

Doi:10.3906/tar-1112-2

View : 20 | Download : 5

Publication Date : 0000-00-00

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The East Anatolian fault system insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(EAFS); is the 80-km-wide, 700-km-long, NE-trending sinistral strike-slip fault system forming a seismically very active intracontinental transfom fault boundary. It is located between Karlıova County in the northeast and Karataş-Samandağ counties in the southwest, and forms the southeastern boundary of the Anatolian platelet. The Palu-Uluova basin is one of several strike-slip basins located along the EAFS. It is surrounded by several push-ups such as the Karaömerdağı, Mastardağı and Askerdağı push-ups caused by the complexities peculiar to strike-slip faulting. The Palu-Uluova basin consists of three sub-sections: two are NE-trending strike-slip sub-basins, the Uluova and the Palu-Kumyazı sub-basins, while the third is a ramp basin, the E-W-trending Yolüstü basin which links the earlier two sub-basins. The Palu-Uluova basin is characterized and shaped by a 130-m-thick neotectonic basin infill insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Palu Formation); and a series of bounding strike-slip fault zones such as the Sivrice, Adıyaman, Uluova, Elazığ, Pertek and Yolüstü fault zones. The Palu Formation is an undeformed fluvio-lacustrine sedimentary sequence. The youngest palaeotectonic rock-stratigraphic unit is the Upper Miocene-Lower Pliocene Çaybağı Formation, deposited in a ramp type of intermontane basin bounded and controlled by the reverse faults. The Çaybağı Formation is intensely deformed insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(steeply tilted, folded and thrust to reverse-faulted); on a regional insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(mappable); scale. The compressional deformation pattern of the Çaybağı Formation is truncated, sealed and overlain with angular unconformity by the nearly horizontal undeformed Plio-Quaternary Palu Formation. This regional angular unconformity reflects: insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(a); a series of pre-Late Pliocene regional tectonic inversions insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(e.g., type of the tectonic regime, style of deformation and nature of magmatic activity);, and insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(b); the timing of the major transition from the folding and thrust to reverse faulting-dominated palaeotectonic period into the strike-slip faulting-dominated neotectonic period is Late Pliocene.
Keywords : East Anatolian fault system, Palu Uluova strike slip basin, intermontane basin, Turkey