Opposed shear senses inferred from neotectonic mesofracture systems in the North Anatolian fault zone

The 1200-km long North Anatolian fault zone is a right-lateral, intracontinental transform boundary which was initiated in the Late Neogene. Sediments of Pliocene to Holocene age in basins between Cerkes and Erbaa, within the convex-northwards arc of the fault zone, are deformed by syn-sedimentary and post-depositional mesoscopic faults and joints. The mesofractures, which strike obliquely to the fault zone, include reverse faults, normal faults, normal shear joints, conjugate vertical joints and strike-slip faults. Each type of structure occurs in two geometrical groups, one comprises four systems of fractures, the other is made up of five systems. The directions of secondary compression and/or extension inferred from the first group of mesofractures, which are restricted to sediments of Pliocene to Early Pleistocene age, are interpreted as being related to left-lateral shear along the North Anatolian fault zone. The directions of compression and/or extension inferred from the second group of mesofractures, which cut sediments of Pliocene to late Holocene age, were generated during right-lateral shear.The presence of the second group of mesofractures is understandable because they are related to the shear sense which operates at the present-day, but those interpreted as being related to left-lateral shear are more puzzling: their development implies one or more reversals of the dominant sense of displacement. Several tentative models to explain such reversals are proposed, including regional and local influences, the latter related to mechanical constraints and/or the effects of other fault systems.     

Successive Extensional Tectonic Regimes during the Mesozoic as Evidenced by Neptunian Dikes in the Pontide Magmatic Arc,Northeast Turkey

The eastern Pontide magmatic arc extends ～600 km in an E-W direction along the Black Sea coast and was disrupted by a series of fault systems trending NE-SW, NW-SE, E-W, and N-S. These fault systems are responsible for the formation of diachronous extensional basins, rift or pull-apart, in the northern, southern, and axial zones of the eastern Pontides during the Mesozoic. Successive extensional or transtensional tectonic regimes caused the abortive Liassic rift basins and the Albian and Campanian pull-apart basins with deep-spreading troughs in the southern and axial zones. Liassic, Albian, and Campanian neptunian dikes, which indicate extensional tectonic regimes, crop out within the Paleozoic granites near Kale, Gumushane, and the Malm–Lower Cretaceous platform carbonates in Amasya and Gumushane. These neptunian dikes correspond to extensional cracks that are filled and overlain by the fossiliferous red pelagic limestones. Multidirectional Liassic neptunian dikes are consistent with the general trend of the paleofaults (NE-SW, NW-SE, and E-W), and active dextral North Anatolian fault (NAF) and sinistral Northeast Anatolian fault (NEAF) systems. The Albian neptunian dikes in Amasya formed in the synthetic oblique left-lateral normal faults of the main fault zone that runs parallel to the active North Anatolian fault zone (NAFZ).

Kinematic interpretation of the Liassic and Albian neptunian dikes suggests N-S extensional stress or northward movement of the Pontides along the conjugate fracture zones parallel to the NAFZ and NEAFZ. This northward movement of the Pontides in Liassic and Albian times requires left-lateral and right-lateral slips along the conjugate NAFZ and Northeast Anatolian fault zones (NEAFZ), respectively, in contrast to the recent active tectonics that have been accommodated by N-S compressional stress. On the other hand, mutual relationships between the neptunian dikes and the associated main fault zone of Campanian age extending in an E-W direction in the Kale area, Gumushane suggest the existence of a main left-lateral transtensional wrench zone. This system might be accommodated by the counterclockwise convergence of the Turkish plate with the Afro-Arabian plate relative to the Eurasian plate, and the southward oblique subduction of Paleotethys beneath the eastern Pontide magmatic arc during the Mesozoic.     

Kinematics of the Malatya–Ovacık Fault Zone

We investigate the left-lateral slip on the 240-km-long, NE–SW-trending, Malatya–Ovacık fault zone in eastern Turkey. This fault zone splays southwestward from the North Anatolian fault zone near Erzincan, then follows the WSW-trending Ovacık valley between the Munzur and Yılan mountain ranges. It bends back to a SW orientation near Arapkir, from where we trace its main strand SSW beneath the Plio-Quaternary sediment of the Malatya basin. We propose that this fault zone was active during ∼5–3 Ma, when it took up 29 km of relative motion between the Turkish and Arabian plates; it ceased to be active when the East Anatolian fault zone formed at ∼3 Ma. The geometry of the former Erzincan triple junction, which differs from the modern Karlıova triple junction, where the North and East Anatolian fault zones intersect, suggests a possible explanation for why slip on the Malatya–Ovacık fault zone was unable to continue. We interpret the SW- and SSW-trending segments of the Malatya–Ovacık fault zone as transform faults, which define an Euler pole ∼1 400 km to the southeast. Its central part along the Ovacık valley, which is ∼30° oblique to the adjoining transform faults, is interpreted as the internal fault of a stepover. The adjoining mountain ranges, which now rise up to ∼3 300 m, ∼2 000 m above the surrounding land surface, are largely the result of the surface uplift which accompanied the components of shortening and thickening of the upper crustal brittle layer that occurred around this stepover while the left-lateral faulting was active.     

Kinematics of the Malatya–Ovacik Fault Zone

Abstract

We investigate the left-lateral slip on the 240-km- long, NE-SW-trending, Malatya-Ovacik fault zone in eastern Turkey. This fault zone splays southwestward from the North Anatolian fault zone near Erzincan, then follows the WSW-trending Ovacik valley between the Munzur and Yilan mountain ranges. It bends back to a SW orientation near Arapkir, from where we trace its main strand SSW beneath the Plio-Quaternary sediment of the Malatya basin. We propose that this fault zone was active during ~5–3 Ma, when it took up 29 km of relative motion between the Turkish and Arabian plates; it ceased to be active when the East Anatolian fault zone formed at ~3 Ma. The geometry of the former Erzincan triple junction, which differs from the modem Karliova triple junction, where the North and East Anatolian fault zones intersect, suggests a possible explanation for why slip on the Malatya- Ovacik fault zone was unable to continue. We interpret the SW- and SSW-trending segments of the Malatya-Ovacik fault zone as transform faults, which define an Euler pole ~1 400 km to the southeast. Its central part along the Ovacik valley, which is ~30° oblique to the adjoining transform faults, is interpreted as the internal fault of a stepover. The adjoining mountain ranges, which now rise up to ~3 300 m, ~2 000 m above the surrounding land surface, are largely the result of the surface uplift which accompanied the components of shortening and thickening of the upper crustal brittle layer that occurred around this stepover while the left-lateral faulting was active. © 2001 Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS     

The North Anatolian fault and complexities of continental escape

Before the Plio-Pleistocene, the proto North Anatolian fault zone was occupied by two separate faults: a WNW-striking right-lateral eastern segment which extended to the Black Sea, and a WSW-striking left-lateral western segment. During the Plio-Pleistocene most of the right-lateral displacement on the eastern fault was transferred from the Black Sea extension to the western fault, converting the latter to a right-lateral structure, and giving rise to the modern North Anatolian fault zone. This model explains the evidence first reported by Hancock & Barka for an apparent Plio-Pleistocene reversal of displacement along the western part of the fault. The model may also account for the Plio-Pleistocene change in regional stress in southwestern Anatolia.     

The Erzincan earthquake of 13 March 1992 in Eastern Turkey: tectonic aspects

The tectonic significance of the Erzincan earthquake of 13 March, 1992 in Eastern Turkey is discussed. The intersection of the North Anatolian and The East Anatolian strike-slip fault zones has resulted in formation of the Erzincan pull-apart basin and new seismically active fault branches on its northeastern side. Local concentrations of surface ruptures strike along the most active branches of the North Anatolian fault zone (N300W) for 62 km. They are usually open fractures with northeastern sides uplifted up to 20 cm and rarely with dextral offset up to 10 cm. These secondary ruptures manifest indirectly oblique seismic fault displacement corresponding to the Late Quaternary motion on the fault zone, although at the surface the dextral component has been suppressed relative to the vertical one.     

Structural relationship between the Sea of Marmara Basin and the North Anatolian Fault Zone

The North Anatolian Fault (NAF) zone is 1500 km long, extending almost up to the Greek mainland in the west. It is a seismically active right-lateral strike-slip fault that accommodates the relative motion between the Turkish block and Black Sea plate. The Sea of Marmara lies along the western part of the NAF and shows evidence of subsidence. In this area pure strike-slip motion of the fault zone changes into extensional strike-slip movement that is responsible for the creation of the Sea of Marmara and the North Aegean basins. The northern half of the Sea of Marmara is interpreted as a large pull-apart basin. This basin is subdivided into three smaller basins separated by strike-slip fault segments of uplifted blocks NE-SW. Basinal areas are covered by horizontally layered sedimentary sequences. Uplifted blocks have undergone compressional stress. All the blocks are subsiding and are undergoing vertical motions and rotations relative to one another. The uplifted blocks exhibit positive Bouguer gravity anomalies. According to gravity interpretation, there is relative crustal thinning under the Sea of Marmara. The northern side of the Sea of Marmara is marked by a distinctive deep-rooted magnetic anomaly, which is dissected and shifted southward by strike-slip faulting. The southern shelf areas of the Sea of Marmara are dominated by short-wavelength magnetic anomalies of shallow origin.     

Palaeomagnetically defined rotations of fault-bounded continental blocks in the North Anatolian Shear Zone, North Central Anatolia

The 1200 km-long North Anatolian Transform Fault connects the East Anatolian post-collisional compressional regime in the east with the Aegean back-arc extensional regime to the west. This active dextral fault system lies within a shear zone reaching up to 100 km in width, and consists of southward splining branches. These branches, which have less frequent and smaller magnitude earthquake activity compare to the major transform, cut and divide the shear zone into fault delimited blocks. Comparison of palaeomagnetic data from 46 sites in the Eocene volcanics from different blocks indicate that each fault-bounded block has been affected by vertical block rotations. Although clockwise rotations are dominant as expected from dextral fault-bounded blocks, anticlockwise rotations have also been documented. These anticlockwise rotations are interpreted as due to anticlockwise rotation of the Anatolian Block, as indicated by GPS measurements, and the effects of unmapped faults or pre-North Anatolian Fault tectonic events.     

Palaeomagnetically defined rotations of fault-bounded continental blocks in the North Anatolian Shear Zone,North Central Anatolia

The 1200 km-long North Anatolian Transform Fault connects the East Anatolian post-collisional compressional regime in the east with the Aegean back-arc extensional regime to the west. This active dextral fault system lies within a shear zone reaching up to 100 km in width, and consists of southward splining branches. These branches, which have less frequent and smaller magnitude earthquake activity compare to the major transform, cut and divide the shear zone into fault delimited blocks. Comparison of palaeomagnetic data from 46 sites in the Eocene volcanics from different blocks indicate that each fault-bounded block has been affected by vertical block rotations. Although clockwise rotations are dominant as expected from dextral fault-bounded blocks, anticlockwise rotations have also been documented. These anticlockwise rotations are interpreted as due to anticlockwise rotation of the Anatolian Block, as indicated by GPS measurements, and the effects of unmapped faults or pre-North Anatolian Fault tectonic events.     

Permo-Silesian movements between Baltica and Western Europe: tectonics and 'basin families'

During the late Carboniferous, NW-trending faults of Central Europe's Bohemian Massif acted as a dextral shear zone between Baltica and Western Europe. During the early Permian, the shear sense was reversed, and a group of strike-slip basins formed along major NW-trending faults. This reversal is attributed to early Permian left-lateral motion between Baltica and Western Europe recorded by faults and basins of the Bohemian Massif. The Uralian orogeny is identified as the driving force for the sinistral motion between Baltica and Western Europe, shifting Baltica to the north-west along the Tornquist–Teisseyre zone.     

Neotectonics of the Pontides: implications for ‘incompatible’ structures along the North Anatolian fault

Data for the post-Serravallian, ‘neotectonic’ evolution of the Pontides in northern Turkey indicate predominant ENE-WSW shortening with complementary NNW-SSE extension. We present a new fault plane solution for the Bartin earthquake (3 September 1968) and compare its mechanism with the movement picture of other neotectonic faults in the Pontides and northern Greece together with that of the Thessaloniki earthquake (20 May 1978). The general strain pattern exhibited by these structures agrees remarkably well with that inferred from early Tortonian-early Pleistocene structures reported from within the North Anatolian fault zone, which have been interpreted as indicating a possible reversal of the sense of movement along the North Anatolian transform fault. Here, we argue that such ‘incompatible’ structures may be related to the overall E-W shortening of Anatolia and the southern parts of the Black Sea resulting from the sideways continental escape from around the African and the Arabian promontories, rather than to hypothetical reversal of motion along the North Anatolian fault, for which there is no evidence other than the above-mentioned ‘incompatible’ structures. This new model also has important implications for seismicity and earthquake risk in regions contained within the southern part of the Black Sea plate.     

Variable coupling across weak oceanic transform fault: Flateyjarskagi, Iceland

Tectonic studies near major fault zones often reveal multiple tectonic regimes. Do these regimes indicate multiphase tectonism with distinct episodes, or do they reflect single‐phase tectonism with time‐space perturbations along lithospheric weakness zones? Based on tectonic analyses in Flateyjarskagi, North Iceland, we reconstruct the late Cenozoic tectonic regimes related to right‐lateral transform motion along the Tjörnes Fracture Zone, which connects the Kolbeinsey Ridge and the North Iceland Rift. Rifting and transform motion have induced eight normal and strike‐slip regimes, four of which are inconsistent with the overall kinematics (as a probable result of stress drop, elastic rebound and dyke injection). For the consistent regimes, contrasting angles between extension and transform trends reflect repeated changes from moderate (25°) to very low mechanical coupling (85°) across the transform zone. Thus, the tectonic regimes need not be interpreted in terms of numerous tectonic episodes but rather as a consequence of variable coupling across the transform zone.     

Neotectonic evolution of the northwestward arched segment of the Central Anatolian Fault Zone,Central Anatolia,Turkey

Central Anatolia has undergone complex Neotectonic deformation since Late Miocene–Pliocene times. Many faults and intracontinental basins in this region were either formed, or have been reactivated, during this period. The eastern part of central Anatolia is dominated by a NE–SW-trending, left lateral transcurrent structure named the Central Anatolian fault zone located between Sivas in the northeast and west of Mersin in the southwest. Around the central part, it is characterized by transtensional depressions formed by left stepping and southward bending of the fault zone.Pre-Upper Miocene basement rocks of the region consist of the central Anatolian crystalline complex and a sedimentary cover of Tertiary age. These rock units were strongly deformed by N–S convergence. The entire area emerged to become the site of erosion and formed a vast plateau before the Late Miocene. A NE–SW-trending extensional basin developed on this plateau in Late Miocene–Early Pliocene times. Rock units of this basin are characterized by a thick succession of pyroclastic rocks intercalated with calcalkaline–alkaline volcanics. The volcanic sequence is unconformably overlain by Pliocene lacustrine–fluviatile deposits intercalated with ignimbrites and tuffs. Thick, coarse grained alluvial/colluvial fan deposits of marginal facies and fine grained clastics and carbonates of central facies display characteristic synsedimentary structures with volcanic intercalations. These are the main lines of evidence for development of a new transtensional Hırka–Kızılırmak basin in Pliocene times. Reactivation of the main segment of the Central Anatolian fault zone has triggered development of depressions around the left stepping and southward bending of the central part of this sinistral fault zone in the ignimbritic plateau during Late Pliocene–Quaternary time. These transtensional basins are named the Tuzla Gölü and Sultansazlığı pull-apart basins. The Sultansazlığı basin has a lazy S to rhomboidal shape and displays characteristic morphologic features including a steep and stepped western margin, large alluvial and colluvial fans, and a huge composite volcano (the Erciyes Dağı).The geometry of faulting and formation of pull-apart basins can be explained within the framework of tectonic escape of the wedge-like Anatolian block, bounded by sinistral East Anatolian fault zone and dextral North Anatolian transform fault zone. This escape may have been accomplished as lateral continental extrusion of the Anatolian Plate caused by final collision of the Arabian Plate with the Eurasian Plate.     

Kinematic History and Changes in the Tectonic StressRegime during the Cenozoic along the Qinling andSouthern Tanlu Fault Zones

Since the mid-late Eocene, North China has been subjected to extensional stress, resulting in the formation and development of basins. The dynamic origin of this crustal extension has long been an issue of debate. This paper presents the results of kinematic analyses of faults obtained from two seperated areas in North China. In the Weihe graben situated on the southernmost margin of the Ordos block, analyses of fault kinematics were coupled with an analysis of the basin's subsidence history. Three successive extensional tectonic phases accompaning the basin's formation and development have been distinguished. The Palaeogene extension was oriented in a WNW-ESE direction; the Neogene extension in a NE-SW direction and the Pliocene-Quaternary extension in a NW-SE direction. Such changes have also been recorded by fault kinematics along the southern Tanlu fault zone. This has been demonstrated by three successive sets of fault striations indicating normal dip slip resulting from NW-SE extension, then left-     

华北地区上新世至第四纪断裂作用型式与左旋扩展

华北地区包含两个新生代引张构造域,即太行山以西的鄂尔多斯周缘地堑系和以东的华北－渤海平原盆地。鄂尔多斯周缘地堑系上新世～第四纪的断裂作用表征为正向倾滑活动为主,同时具有右旋或左旋走滑分量的运动型式,指示了ＮＷ－ＳＥ向地壳引作用,华北－渤海盆地内上新世～第四纪的断裂作用发生在ＮＮＥ至ＮＥ走向的断鲜明带上,具有右旋和正向倾滑的斜向运动特征,ＥＷ走向的秦岭断裂系华北引张构造域的东界,表现为右旋走滑,与Ｅ     

Neotectonic evolution of the northwestward arched segment of the Central Anatolian Fault Zone,Central Anatolia,Turkey

Abstract

Central Anatolia has undergone complex Neotectonic deformation since Late Miocene-Pliocene times. Many faults and intracontinental basins in this region were either formed, or have been reactivated, during this period. The eastern part of central Anatolia is dominated by a NE-SW-trending, left lateral transcurrent structure named the Central Anatolian fault zone located between Sivas in the northeast and west of Mersin in the southwest. Around the central part, it is characterized by transtensional depressions formed by left stepping and southward bending of the fault zone. Pre-Upper Miocene basement rocks of the region consist of the central Anatolian crystalline complex and a sedimentary cover of Tertiary age. These rock units were strongly deformed by N-S con- vergence. The entire area emerged to become the site of erosion and formed a vast plateau before the Late Miocene. A NE-SW- trending extensional basin developed on this plateau in Late Miocene-Early Pliocene times. Rock units of this basin are characterized by a thick succession of pyroclastic rocks intercalated with calcalkaline-alkaline volcanics. The volcanic sequence is uncon- formably overlain by Pliocene lacustrine-fluviatile deposits interrelated with ignimbrites and tuffs. Thick, coarse grained alluvial/colluvial fan deposits of marginal facies and fine grained elastics and carbonates of central facies display characteristic synsedimentary structures with volcanic intercalations. These are the main lines of evidence for development of a new transtensional H?rka— k?zd?rmak basin in Pliocene times. Reactivation of the main segment of the Central Anatolian fault zone has triggered development of depressions around the left stepping and southward bending of the central part of this sinistral fault zone in the ignimbritic plateau during Late Pliocene-Quaternary time. These transtensional basins are named the Tuzla Gölü and Sultansazl??? pull-apart basins. The Sultansazl??? basin has a lazy S to rhomboidal shape and displays characteristic morphologic features including a steep and stepped western margin, large alluvial and colluvial fans, and a huge composite volcano (the Erciyes Da??).

The geometry of faulting and formation of pull-apart basins can be explained within the framework of tectonic escape of the wedgelike Anatolian block, bounded by sinistral East Anatolian fault zone and dextral North Anatolian transform fault zone. This escape may have been accomplished as lateral continental extrusion of the Anatolian Plate caused by final collision of the Arabian Plate with the Eurasian Plate. © 2001 Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS     

The termination of the North Anatolian Fault System (NAFS) in Eastern Turkey

ABSTRACT

The present-day tectonic framework of Turkey comprises mainly two strike-slip fault systems, namely dextral North Anatolian and sinistral East Anatolian faults. They are considered as the main cause of deformation patterns in Anatolia. These two mega shear systems meet at Kargapazar? village of Karl?ova county. The area to the east of the junction has a transpressional tectonic regime between the Eurasian and Arabian plates and is characterized, based on field observation, by a network of faults defining a typical horsetail splay structure. The horsetail splay is interpreted as marking the termination of the North Anatolian Fault System (NAFS), which continues eastward into the Varto Fault Zone (VFZ) and then dies out. The present study reveals that the VFZ is made up of two main parts, namely the principal displacement zone (PDZ) and the transpressional splay zone (TPSZ), both characterized by the right-lateral strike-slip with reverse motion. However, the area to the east of Varto is characterized dominantly by reverse-thrust faults and E–W-trending faults as shown by focal mechanism solutions. The generation of the VFZ as a transpressional termination to the NAFS can be related directly to the block movements of the Eurasian, Anatolian, and Arabian plates.     

Immature and mature transform zones near a hot spot: The South Iceland Seismic Zone and the Tjörnes Fracture Zone (Iceland)

We describe and compare the two transform zones that connect the Icelandic rift segments and the mid-Atlantic Ridge close to the Icelandic hot spot, in terms of geometry of faulting and stress fields. The E–W trending South Iceland Seismic Zone is a diffuse shear zone with a Riedel fault pattern including N0°–N20°E trending right-lateral and N60°–N70°E trending left-lateral faults. The dominant stress field in this zone is characterised by NW–SE extension, in general agreement with left-lateral transform motion. The Tjörnes Fracture Zone includes three major lineaments at different stages of development. The most developed, the Húsavík–Flatey Fault, presents a relatively simple geometry with a major fault that trends ESE–WNW. The stress pattern is however complex, with two dominant directions of extension, E–W and NE–SW on average. Both these extensions are compatible with the right-lateral transform motion and reveal different behaviours in terms of coupling. Transform motion has unambiguous fault expression along a mature zone, a situation close to that of the Tjörnes Fracture Zone. In contrast, transform motion along the immature South Iceland Seismic Zone is expressed through a more complicate structural pattern. At the early stage of the transform process, relatively simple stress patterns prevail, with a single dominant stress field, whereas, when the transform zone is mature, moderate and low coupling situations may alternate, as a function of volcanic–tectonic crises and induce changes in stress orientation.     

准噶尔盆地腹部两类走滑断裂带及其构造变形样式

走滑断裂带对中国西部压扭性叠合盆地大中型油气田形成与分布具有重要的控制作用,也是研究难点之一.基于高密度三维地震资料,本文采用多种地震构造解析技术,瞄准噶尔盆地腹部侏罗系开展了精细走滑断裂带解释和变形样式分析.在燕山Ⅱ幕构造活动期,侏罗系发育了NWW向左行压扭性和NE向左行张扭性两类走滑断裂带.它们都是由4组剪切断层复合而成,共同遵从左行简单剪切模式,但几何学特征和构造属性差异很大.NWW和NE向走滑断裂带不存在共轭剪切关系,而是在钝夹角区（135°左右）普遍具有弧形联合与归并趋势.在构造变形中,两类同期左行走滑断裂带弧形联合控制了变形区域旋扭形变和剪切破裂,构成了一个大尺度“面”状旋扭构造体系.旋扭构造变形样式对中亚陆内造山带研究具有一定借鉴意义,也为压扭盆地的油气勘探实践提供了新思路.      

青藏高原中部第四纪左旋剪切变形的地表地质证据

在青藏铁路的格尔木—拉萨段进行的活动断裂调查发现,在沱沱河—五道梁之间宽约150km的地段内发育了多条由北西西向次级断层左列分布构成的北西西向和北西向左旋张扭性断裂带,在断裂带之间则发育"S"型的北东向裂陷盆地和雁列分布的菱形裂陷盆地,盆地边界断裂也为左旋张扭性质。上述断裂带和裂陷带主要形成于第四纪,它们构成了宽约150km的不均匀的左旋简单剪切变形域,该变形域的整体活动性较弱,属于弱的不均匀剪切变形域。但其中的二道沟断陷盆地是个例外,该盆地边界断裂的垂直活动速率约为0 5mm/a,左旋活动速率介于0 8～1 0mm/a之间。而在整个左旋剪切变形带累计的左旋走滑速率不会超过6mm/a,它们所调节的昆仑山与唐古拉山之间的地壳南北缩短量也可能仅占总缩短量的15%～30%。上述弱剪切变形域与强烈左旋走滑的昆仑断裂系共同构成了高原中部的左旋剪切变形带,它们在印度板块与欧亚板块强烈碰撞的构造动力学背景下,起着调节青藏高原南北向缩短的重要作用。