Geology of the northern side of the Gulf of Edremit and its tectonic significance for the development of the Aegean grabens

This paper describes the Neogene evolution of northwestern Anatolia based on geological data collected in the course of a new mapping program. The geological history of the region, as recorded by the Neogene sedimentary and magmatic rocks that overlie the Paleozoic–Triassic basement, began after a lake invasion during the Early Miocene period with the deposition of shale-dominated successions. They were accompanied by calc-alkaline intermediate lavas and pyroclastic rocks ejected through NNE trending fractures and faults. The Lower–Middle Miocene successions were deformed under a compressional regime at the end of the Middle Miocene. The deposition of the overlying Upper Miocene–Lower Pliocene successions was restricted to within NE–SW trending graben basins. The graben bounding faults are oblique with a major strike-slip displacement, formed under approximately the N–S extension. The morphological irregularities formed during the Miocene graben formations were obliterated during a severe erosional phase to the end of the deposition of this lacustrine succession. The present E–W graben system as exemplified from the well-developed Edremit graben, postdates the erosional phase, which has formed during the Plio-Quaternary period.     

The Çubukludağ graben,south of İzmir: its tectonic significance in the Neogene geological evolution of the western Anatolia

Abstract

Field studies on the Neogene successions in south of ?zmir reveal that subsequent Neogene continental basins were developed in the region. Initially a vast lake basin was formed during the early-Middle Miocene period. The lacustrine sediments underwent an approximately N-S shortening deformation to the end of Middle Miocene. A small portion of the basin fill was later trapped within the N-S-trending, fault-bounded graben basin, the Çubukluda? graben, opened during the Late Miocene. Oblique-slip normal faults with minor sinistral displacement are formed possibly under N–S extensional regime, and controlled the sediment deposition. Following this the region suffered a phase of denudation which produced a regionwide erosional surface suggesting that the extension interrupted to the end of Late Miocene–Early Pliocene period. After this event the E–W-trending major grabens and horsts of western Anatolia began to form. The graben bounding faults cut across the Upper Miocene–Pliocene lacustrine sediments and fragmented the erosional surface. The Çubukluda? graben began to work as a cross garden between the E–W grabens, since that period. © 2001 Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS     

The Çubukludağ graben,south of İzmir: its tectonic significance in the Neogene geological evolution of the western Anatolia

Field studies on the Neogene successions in south of İzmir reveal that subsequent Neogene continental basins were developed in the region. Initially a vast lake basin was formed during the Early–Middle Miocene period. The lacustrine sediments underwent an approximately N–S shortening deformation to the end of Middle Miocene. A small portion of the basin fill was later trapped within the N–S-trending, fault-bounded graben basin, the Çubukludağ graben, opened during the Late Miocene. Oblique-slip normal faults with minor sinistral displacement are formed possibly under N–S extensional regime, and controlled the sediment deposition. Following this the region suffered a phase of denudation which produced a regionwide erosional surface suggesting that the extension interrupted to the end of Late Miocene–Early Pliocene period. After this event the E–W-trending major grabens and horsts of western Anatolia began to form. The graben bounding faults cut across the Upper Miocene–Pliocene lacustrine sediments and fragmented the erosional surface. The Çubukludağ graben began to work as a cross graben between the E–W grabens, since that period.     

Neogene basin development around Söke-Kuşadası (western Anatolia) and its bearing on tectonic development of the Aegean region

There is a N–S lying narrow strip of Neogene outcrop between the towns of Kuşadası and Söke in western Anatolia. It contains remnants of successive Neogene graben basins. The first graben began to form under the control of a N40–70°E-trending oblique fault system during the Early Miocene. At the initial phase of the opening coarse clastic rocks were deposited in front of the fault-elevated blocks as scree deposits and fanglomerates. Later the graben advanced into a large lake basin. Towards the end of the Middle Miocene the lacustrine sediments of the Early–Middle Miocene age underwent an approximately N–S compressional deformation and elevated above the lake level, and were partly eroded. During the Late Miocene a new graben basin began to form as a consequence of the development of E–W-trending normal faults, formed under the N–S extensional regime. This graben also turned later into a lake environment. The lake extended far beyond the limits of the fault zones, and covered the entire regions stretching from the south of Bafa Lake in the south to Kuşadası and beyond in the north. Micritic clayey limestones were predominantly deposited in the lake. A severe erosional phase followed the termination of the lake basin. This corresponds to the cessation of the N–S extension. When the N–S extension regenerated during the Pliocene(?)–Pleistocene, the Büyük Menderes graben system began to form. In the western part of the graben, a conjugated pair of oblique faults, the Priene–Sazlı fault and the Kuşadası fault, have formed. The faults having important strike-slip components, bounded a tectonic wedge, which began to move westward into the Aegean Sea region. Major morphological features of the region were formed under the effective control of these fault zones.     

Tertiary tectonics of the Dannemarie Basin, upper Rhine graben, and regional implications

Recently released seismic reflection data, together with previous seismic and well data, are used to describe the development of the Dannemarie basin, in the SW end of the Upper Rhine Graben. The Dannemarie Basin was formed during the main rifting phase of the Upper Rhine Graben as an asymmetrical graben trending NE–SW. Post-rift tectonism shifted the depocenter southward and changed the overall shape of the basin. Miocene Jura compression did not result in the formation of folds, as in the adjacent Mulhouse Horst. Strike slip faulting was dominant in the post-rift period and new faults were created, most notably the north trending and transpressional Belfort Fault. The boundary of the Dannemarie Basin with the Vosges Mountains is part of a restraining bend, which may account for the uplift of the southernmost part of the Vosges Mountains.     

Tectonics of the Northern Bresse region (France) during the Alpine cycle

Combining fieldwork and surface data, we have reconstructed the Cenozoic structural and tectonic evolution of the Northern Bresse. Analysis of drainage network geometry allowed to detect three major fault zones trending NE–SW, E–W and NW–SE, and smooth folds with NNE trending axes, all corroborated with shallow well data in the graben and fieldwork on edges. Cenozoic paleostress succession was determined through fault slip and calcite twin inversions, taking into account data of relative chronology. A N–S major compression, attributed to the Pyrenean orogenesis, has activated strike-slip faults trending NNE along the western edge and NE–SW in the graben. After a transitional minor E–W trending extension, the Oligocene WNW extension has structured the graben by a collapse along NNE to NE–SW normal faults. A local NNW extension closes this phase. The Alpine collision has led to an ENE compression at Early Miocene. The following WNW trending major compression has generated shallow deformation in Bresse, but no deformation along the western edge. The calculation of potential reactivation of pre-existing faults enables to propose a structural sketch map for this event, with a NE–SW trending transfer fault zone, inactivity of the NNE edge faults, and possibly large wavelength folding, which could explain the deposit agency and repartition of Miocene to Quaternary deformation.     

Complete Tertiary exhumation history of the Menderes massif, western Turkey: an alternative working hypothesis

The main exhumation of the Menderes massif, western Turkey, occurred along an originally N‐dipping Datça–Kale main breakaway fault that controlled depositions in the Kale and the Gökova basins during the Oligocene – Early Miocene interval. The isostatically controlled upward bending of the main breakaway fault brings the lower plate rocks to the surface. In the Early Miocene, E–W‐trending N‐ and S‐dipping graben‐bounding faults fragmented the exhumed, dome‐shaped massif. The development of half grabens by rolling master fault hinges has allowed further exhumation of the central Menderes massif. After the Pliocene, high‐angle normal faults cut all of the previous structures. This model suggests that the Menderes massif is a single large metamorphic core complex that has experienced a two‐stage exhumation process.     

Late Cenozoic polyphase deformation and basin development,Kütahya region,western Turkey

The Neogene–Quaternary succession in the Kütahya region is of importance in the neotectonic evolution of western Anatolia because the strata contain clear evidence of compression and extension. During the early-middle Miocene, N–S compression/transpression as well as NE–SW- and NW–SE-oriented oblique conjugate faults formed. NE–SW-oriented horsts and grabens developed, controlled by the dominant NE–SW faults. The Seyitömer and Sabuncup?nar grabens were filled primarily by terrestrial clastic sedimentary and volcanic rocks. At the end of the middle Miocene, the graben fill was locally folded and reverse faulted, reflecting reactivation of compression. Between the late Miocene and the middle Pliocene, the region underwent erosion and lacustrine sediments accumulated in topographic lows. Between the middle and late Pliocene, compression in the region was again reactivated and basal units were thrust over the pre-upper Pliocene units. The late Plio-Quaternary marked the onset of N–S extension and development of the NW–SE-oriented Kütahya Graben, co-genetic equivalents of which are common throughout western Anatolia. This study indicates that tectonic evolution of western Anatolia involved multiple stages of contraction and extension.     

Interacting tectonics,hydrogeology and karst processes in an intramontane basin: the Jiloca graben (NE Spain)

The Jiloca basin is a NNW–SSE trending, Neogene-Quaternary graben in NE Spain, bounded by normal faults with measurable hectometre-scale throws. Its overall trend truncates previous NW–SE folds. The sedimentary infilling includes Neogene and Quaternary deposits, exceeding 80 m in thickness. The stratigraphical and structural setting controls hydrogeology of the basin. Neogene marls constitute an aquiclude that separates a main Jurassic karstic, confined aquifer from a shallow, unconfined Plio-Quaternary aquifer. The Jurassic aquifer is laterally compartmented by impervious Upper Triassic anticline cores, though its piezometric surface usually lies 30–60 m higher than the Mesozoic-Neogene boundary. The geological, and specifically the hydrogeological features are not significantly compatible with a previously published hypothesis that considers the Jiloca depression as a polje (in which the final topography is the result of suballuvial karstic corrosion) for three reasons. First, the hypothetical corrosion front shows neither a specific relationship with the epiphreatic zone, nor control by the local presence of impervious Triassic rocks. Second, chemistry of groundwater at the underlying Jurassic aquifer would not allow limestone dissolution at rates necessary for producing the supposed erosion deepening of 300 m since the late Pliocene. Finally, no evidence of swallow holes or ponors has been found.     

Brittle reactivation of mylonitic fabric and the origin of the Cenozoic Rio Santana Graben,southeastern Brazil

In the Ribeira belt, southeastern Brazil, the Precambrian mylonitic fabric mainly formed during the Brasiliano/Pan-African orogeny (640–480 Ma) and was reactivated as fault zones in the Cretaceous and Cenozoic. The reactivation process led to the development of the System of Continental Rifts of southeastern Brazil, from the Paleogene to the Quaternary. We investigated the brittle reactivation of a mylonitic zone, which is part of a major mylonitic belt, Arcádia-Areal. We used geological and geomorphological mapping, resistivity survey, controlled source audiomagnetotelluric survey, and luminescence dating. Our results indicate that this shear zone was reactivated and formed a 15 km long and 2 km wide sedimentary-filled trough, the Rio Santana Graben. It is located on the northwest border of a major structure, the Guanabara Graben, in the State of Rio de Janeiro. The Rio Santana Graben forms an almost entirely fault-bounded, NE-elongated depression that was accommodated entirely within the Arcádia-Areal shear zone. The graben consists of two main depocenters separated by a relay ramp. The graben formed by means of multistage activity of several faults during at least two main periods. The first period formed silicified fault breccia and occurred during alkaline magmatism in the Paleogene. The second formed fault breccia and gouge in shallow conditions and occurred at least until the Quaternary. The NE-trending and NW-dipping Precambrian fabric was reactivated as dip-slip and strike-slip faults. These faults triggered clastic-sediment deposition at least 300 m thick. The upper part of the graben consists of Quaternary alluvial and colluvial sediment fill, which yielded maximum luminescence deposition ages from 49 to 13 ka in the center of the trough. An organic layer at the top of the Quaternary alluvial deposits yielded ¹⁴C ages at ～6000 years BP. The lower part of the graben may be composed of Paleogene to Neogene sedimentary deposits, which occur in other basins of the System of Continental Rifts of southeastern Brazil. We conclude that the Rio Santana Graben is an example of the direct control of a preexisting continental-scale rheological boundary on the geometry and location of fault systems and sediment deposition. Quaternary fault reactivation of the preexisting fabrics represents only the latest movement of a major structure.     

Geometric and Dynamical Characteristics of Sequences in Yitong Graben

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Sedimentary facies, depositional environments and palaeogeographic evolution of the Neogene Denizli Basin, SW Anatolia, Turkey

The Denizli Basin (southwestern Anatolia, Turkey) contains a record of environmental changes dating since the Early Miocene. Detailed facies analysis of the Neogene formations in this half-graben enables us to document successive depositional regimes and palaeogeographic settings. Sedimentation commenced in the Early Miocene with the deposition of alluvial-fan and fluvial facies (K?z?lburun Formation). At this stage, alluvial fans sourced from elevated areas to the south prograded towards the basin centre. The Middle Miocene time saw the establishment of marginal lacustrine and wetland environments followed by the development of a shallow lake (Sazak Formation). The uppermost part of this unit consists of evaporitic saline lake and saline mudflat facies that grade upward into brackish lacustrine deposits of Late Miocene-Pliocene age (Kolankaya Formation). The lake became shallower at the end of the Pliocene time, as is indicated by expansion shoreface/foreshore facies. In the Early Quaternary, the Denizli Basin was transformed into a graben by the activation of ESE-trending normal faults. Alluvial fans were active at the basin margins, whereas a meandering river system occupied the basin central part.Oxygen isotope data from carbonates in the successive formations show an alternation of wetter climatic periods, when fresh water settings predominated, and very arid periods, when the basin hosted brackish to hypersaline lakes. The Neogene sedimentation was controlled by an active, ESE-trending major normal fault along the basin's southern margin and by climatically induced lake-level changes. The deposition was more or less continuous from the Early Miocene to Late Pliocene time, with local unconformities developed only in the uppermost part of the basin-fill succession. The unconformable base of the overlying Quaternary deposits reflects the basin's transformation from a half-graben into a graben system.     

Miocene formations and NE-trending right-lateral strike–slip tectonism in Thrace,northwest Turkey: geodynamic implications

In the Thrace Peninsula, Neogene units were deposited in two areas, the Enez Basin in the south and the Thrace Basin in the north. In the southwesternmost part of the peninsula, upper lower–lower upper Miocene continental to shallow marine clastics of the Enez Formation formed under the influence of the Aegean extensional regime. During the last stage of the transpressional activity of the NW-trending right-lateral strike–slip Balkan–Thrace Fault, which had controlled the initial early middle Eocene deposition in the Thrace Basin, a mountainous region extending from Bulgaria eastwards to the northern Thrace Peninsula of Turkey developed. A river system carried erosional clasts of the metamorphic basement southwards into the limnic depositional areas of the Thrace Basin during middle Miocene time. Deposition of fluvial, lacustrine, and terrestrial strata of the Ergene Formation, which conformably and transitionally overlie the Enez Formation, began in the late middle Miocene in the southwest part and in the late Miocene in the north‐northeast part of the basin. Activity along the NE-trending right-lateral strike–slip faults (the Xanthi–Thrace Fault Zone) extending from northeast Greece northeastwards through the Thrace Peninsula of Turkey to the southern shelf of the western Black Sea Basin began during the middle Miocene in the northern Aegean, at the beginning of the late Miocene in the southwest part, and at the end of the late Miocene in the northeast part of the Thrace region. Although the Neogene deposits in the Thrace Basin were evaluated as the products of a northerly fault, our data indicate that the NW-trending northerly fault zone became effective only during the initial stage of the basin development. The later stage deposition in the basin was controlled by the NE-trending Xanthi–Thrace Fault Zone, and the deposits of this basin progressively evolved north/northeastwards during the late Miocene. During the late early Miocene–late Miocene interval, extension within the Thrace region was part of the more regional Aegean extensional realm, but from latest Miocene time, it has been largely decoupled from the Aegean extensional realm to the south.     

Stratigraphic and structural evolution of the Blue Nile Basin,Northwestern Ethiopian Plateau

The Blue Nile Basin, situated in the Northwestern Ethiopian Plateau, contains ∼1400 m thick Mesozoic sedimentary section underlain by Neoproterozoic basement rocks and overlain by Early–Late Oligocene and Quaternary volcanic rocks. This study outlines the stratigraphic and structural evolution of the Blue Nile Basin based on field and remote sensing studies along the Gorge of the Nile. The Blue Nile Basin has evolved in three main phases: (1) pre‐sedimentation phase, include pre‐rift peneplanation of the Neoproterozoic basement rocks, possibly during Palaeozoic time; (2) sedimentation phase from Triassic to Early Cretaceous, including: (a) Triassic–Early Jurassic fluvial sedimentation (Lower Sandstone, ∼300 m thick); (b) Early Jurassic marine transgression (glauconitic sandy mudstone, ∼30 m thick); (c) Early–Middle Jurassic deepening of the basin (Lower Limestone, ∼450 m thick); (d) desiccation of the basin and deposition of Early–Middle Jurassic gypsum; (e) Middle–Late Jurassic marine transgression (Upper Limestone, ∼400 m thick); (f) Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous basin‐uplift and marine regression (alluvial/fluvial Upper Sandstone, ∼280 m thick); (3) the post‐sedimentation phase, including Early–Late Oligocene eruption of 500–2000 m thick Lower volcanic rocks, related to the Afar Mantle Plume and emplacement of ∼300 m thick Quaternary Upper volcanic rocks. The Mesozoic to Cenozoic units were deposited during extension attributed to Triassic–Cretaceous NE–SW‐directed extension related to the Mesozoic rifting of Gondwana. The Blue Nile Basin was formed as a NW‐trending rift, within which much of the Mesozoic clastic and marine sediments were deposited. This was followed by Late Miocene NW–SE‐directed extension related to the Main Ethiopian Rift that formed NE‐trending faults, affecting Lower volcanic rocks and the upper part of the Mesozoic section. The region was subsequently affected by Quaternary E–W and NNE–SSW‐directed extensions related to oblique opening of the Main Ethiopian Rift and development of E‐trending transverse faults, as well as NE–SW‐directed extension in southern Afar (related to northeastward separation of the Arabian Plate from the African Plate) and E–W‐directed extensions in western Afar (related to the stepping of the Red Sea axis into Afar). These Quaternary stress regimes resulted in the development of N‐, ESE‐ and NW‐trending extensional structures within the Blue Nile Basin. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Neogene tectonic evolution of the Gulf of Hammamet area,Northeast Tunisia offshore

This paper discusses the Neogene tectonic evolution of the Tunisia offshore Gulf of Hammamet basin. Based on seismic and well data, this basin was created during the Miocene and is currently trending NE–SW. During the Neogene, the study area was affected by geodynamic interactions controlled simultaneously by convergence of the Eurasia and Africa plates and the opening of the Atlantic Ocean. These interactions generated compressive and extensional regimes which led to a variety of structures and basin inversions.The middle Miocene extensional regime created horst and graben structures (e.g. the Halk El Menzel graben). The two major compressive phases of the Tortonian and post Villafranchian age created different structures such as Ain Zaghouan and Fushia structures and the Jriba trough, and led to the reactivation of the old normal faults as reverse faults. During the Plio-Pleistocene and the Quaternary times, the Gulf of Hammamet was affected by an extensional regime related to the Siculo-Tunisian rift, which led to the development in the area of several sedimentary basins and new normal fault patterns.The Gulf of Hammamet shows several basins ranging in age from the Tortonian to the Quaternary, which display different structural and stratigraphic histories. Two main groups of sedimentary basins have been recognized. The first group has Tortonian–Messinian sedimentary fill, while the second group is largely dominated by Plio-Quaternary sediments. The shortening during the Tortonian and post Villafranchian times has led to the tectonic inversion of these basins. This shortening could be correlated to the Europe–Africa collision.Despite the large number of hydrocarbon discoveries, the Gulf of Hammamet remains under-explored, in particular at deeper levels. This study aims to guide future exploration and to highlight some new play concepts.     

Tertiary evolution of the central Menderes Massif based on structural investigations of metamorphics and sedimentary cover rocks between Salihli and Kiraz (western Turkey)

Augen gneisses, mica schists, and marbles of the Menderes Massif and its sedimentary cover rocks are exposed south of the Gediz graben. The augen gneisses form the structurally lowest part of the studied lithological sequence, and are overlain by a schist complex. The structurally highest part is formed by a series of marbles. The ages of this lithological sequence range from Precambrian to Early Paleocene. Furthermore, this sequence records the tectonic evolution since the Precambrian. The sedimentary cover of the Menderes Massif consists of two groups of sediments from Early Miocene to Quaternary. The lower group, the Alayehir group, consists of Early- to mid-Miocene-aged fluvial and limnic sediments which form the lower and the upper parts, respectively. The Alayehir group is overlain by mainly fluvial sediments of the Gediz group. Both the Alayehir and the Gediz groups are separated by an angular unconformity. Six deformational phases could be distinguished within the metamorphic rocks of the Menderes Massif and its Tertiary cover. The structures which were interpreted to belong to deformational events predating the Paleocene are summarized as deformational phase D1. D1 structures were nearly completely overprinted by the subsequent deformation events. The second deformational phase D2 occurred between Early Eocene and Early Oligocene. D2 occurred contemporaneously with a Barrovian-type regional metamorphism. The third deformational phase D3 is characterized by folding of the axial planes which formed at the end of Early Oligocene. The deformational event D4 occurred during the Late Oligocene and is related to an extensional period. The deposition of the sedimentary rocks which belong to the Tertiary cover of the Menderes Massif that started in the Early Miocene was interrupted by a compressional phase (D5) during the Late Miocene. Sediments which were deposited since the Early Pliocene record structures which were related to a young extensional phase (D6). This extensional phase has continued to the Present.     

青藏高原南北向地堑系的实验研究

青藏高原南北向正断层及与其伴生的地堑是当前的热门话题。对其成因的认识分歧颇大,它们与高原隆升的关系则还处于推论阶段。本文用模拟实验的方法检验了其中的主要观点,结果表明:南北向正断层及与其伴生的地堑是南北向挤压的结果,是在挤压中期横张裂隙的基础上发展起来的。因此,它不代表高原已抬升到了最大高度后的塌陷,而是伴随高原隆升过程中的产物。     

Mesozoic-Cenozoic Tectonics of the Yellow Sea and Oil-Gas Exploration

The purpose of the present study was to study the tectonics of the Yellow Sea. Although oil- gas exploration has been undertaken for more than 30 years in the southern Yellow Sea, the exploration progress has achieved little. There are three tectonic periods with near N–S trending shortening and compression (260–200 Ma, 135–52 Ma and 23–0.78 Ma) and three tectonic periods with near E–W trending shortening and compression (200–135 Ma, 52–23 Ma and 0.78 Ma) at the Yellow Sea and adjacent areas during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic. The Indosinian tectonic period is the collision period between the Sino-Korean and Yangtze Plates, which formed the basic tectonic framework for the Yellow Sea area. There were strong intraplate deformations during the Yanshanian (200–135 Ma) and Sichuanian (135–52 Ma) periods with different tectonic models, which are also the main formation periods for endogenic metallic mineral deposits around the Yellow Sea. The three tectonic periods during the Cenozoic affect important influences for forming oil-gas reservoirs. The Eocene–Oligocene (52–23 Ma) is the main forming period for oil-gas sources. The Miocene–Early Pleistocene (23–0.78 Ma) was a period of favorable passage for oil-gas migration along NNE trending faults. Since the Middle Pleistocene (0.78 Ma) the NNE trending faults are closed and make good conditions for the reservation of oil-gas. The authors suggest that we pay more attention to the oil-gas exploration at the intersections between the NNE trending existing faults and Paleogene– Neogene systems in the southern Yellow Sea area.     

Rapid early-middle Miocene exhumation of the Kazdağ Massif (western Anatolia)

Apatite fission-track analyses indicate that the Kazda? Massif in northwestern Anatolia was exhumed above the apatite partial annealing zone between 20 and 10 Ma (i.e. early-middle Miocene), with a cluster of ages at 17–14 Ma. The structural analysis of low-angle shear zones, high-angle normal faults and strike-slip faults, as well as stratigraphic analysis of upper-plate sedimentary successions and previous radiometric ages, point to a two-stage structural evolution of the massif. The first stage -encompassing much of the rapid thermal evolution of the massif- comprised late Oligocene-early Miocene low-angle detachment faulting and the associated development of small supradetachment grabens filled with a mixture of epiclastic, volcaniclastic and volcanic rocks (Küçükkuyu Fm.). The second stage (Plio-Quaternary) has been dominated by (i) strike-slip faulting related to the westward propagation of the North Anatolian fault system and (ii) normal faulting associated with present-day extension. This later stage affected the distribution of fission-track ages but did not have a component of vertical (normal) movement large enough to exhume a new partial annealing zone. The thermochronological data presented here support the notion that Neogene extensional tectonism in the northern Aegean region has been episodic, with accelerated pulses in the early-middle Miocene and Plio-Quaternary.     

阿尔金断裂晚新生代左旋走滑位错的地质新证据

通过对沿阿尔金断裂中段 (位于东经 88°至 92°)发育的晚第三纪走滑盆地沉积历史和走滑变形过程的野外观测以及对第四纪索尔库里盆地形成和演化过程的沉积环境复原的分析 ,提出了阿尔金断裂中段晚新生代左旋走滑位错的地质新证据。研究表明 ,晚第三纪走滑盆地经历了中新世晚期至上新世早期斜张走滑拉分和上新世晚期以来左旋错动的演化过程 ,沉积体沿断裂的错位分布特征指示至少发生了 80 km的左旋走滑位错。发育于阿尔金山链内部的索尔库里盆地起源于晚第三纪早期强烈的侵蚀作用 ,成为柴达木盆地快速沉积的主要物源区。该侵蚀盆地于中晚更新世闭合并演化成一个独立的沉积盆地。通过侵蚀盆地外流通道的复原指示阿尔金断裂自晚第三纪以来累积了 80～ 1 0 0 km的左旋位错。在此基础上 ,结合穿越断裂构造的 级区域水系形成的洪积裙宽度和主干河道沿断裂迹线的拐折长度 ,探讨了阿尔金断裂晚新生代左旋走滑位错量沿走向分布的特征 ,估算了左旋走滑速率