Historical earthquake activity of the northern part of the Dead Sea Fault Zone, southern Turkey

The northern part of the Dead Sea Fault Zone is one of the major active neotectonic structures of Turkey. The main trace of the fault zone (called Hacıpaşa fault) is mapped in detail in Turkey on the basis of morphological and geological evidence such as offset creeks, fault surfaces, shutter ridges and linear escarpments. Three trenches were opened on the investigated part of the fault zone. Trench studies provided evidence for 3 historical earthquakes and comparing trench data with historical earthquake records showed that these earthquakes occurred in 859 AD, 1408 and 1872. Field evidence, palaeoseismological studies and historical earthquake records indicate that the Hacıpaşa fault takes the significant amount of slip in the northern part of the Dead Sea Fault Zone in Turkey. On the basis of palaeoseismological evidence, it is suggested that the recurrence interval for surface faulting event is 506 ± 42 years on the Hacıpaşa fault.     

Timing and mechanism of late-Pleistocene calcite vein formation across the Dead Sea Fault Zone,northern Israel

The emplacement of calcite-filled veins perpendicular to the Dead Sea Fault Zone in northern Israel reflects strain partitioning during transpression. We present structural, geochemical, and U–Th geochronological data that constrain the mechanism, conditions and timing of vein formation. Vein walls are strongly brecciated and commonly cemented with coarsely crystalline calcite, whereas calcite-filled veins are composed of wall-parallel bands of calcite crystals. Elongated blocky and fibrous calcite crystals grew perpendicular to the vein walls and are characterised by a truncate sealing-hiatus morphology, indicating episodes of partial or complete sealing of the fractures during calcite precipitation. Stable isotope and rare-earth element and yttrium (REY) analyses indicate that calcite-filled veins precipitated by karst processes, involving meteoric water and limited fluid-rock interactions. U–Th dating results show a prolonged history of vein growth. While some veins initiated prior to 500 ka, the majority of the veins were active between 358 and 17 ka. Age constraints on vein activity correspond to an ∼E–W regional shortening phase in this sector of the Dead Sea Fault Zone, associated with an increased component of convergence during the late-Pleistocene.     

南海北缘钻探选址：滨海断裂带大型海洋地质灾害研究

滨海断裂带是南海北缘的一条大型活动断裂带，其位置靠近我国华南沿海地区。滨海断裂带全长超过1200 km，包括西段（北部湾- 阳江），中段（珠江口）和东段（粤东- 福建）。其西段和东段历史上至少曾发生过4次大地震（M7+），中段目前是一个大地震空区。在经济高速发展和人口高度密集的今天，如果滨海断裂带再次发生大地震并触发海啸，必将对我国华南沿海地区造成灾难性破坏。由于缺乏完整的历史地震记录和针对古地震的钻孔沉积研究，目前尚不清楚滨海断裂带大地震的准确次数、空间分布和复发周期，以及中段大地震空区的主要原因（断层蠕滑或大地震周期较长），因此无法有效评估该断裂带的大地震破裂分段和灾害风险。本研究总结了滨海断裂带的构造特征、重点描述了3次历史大地震及引发的灾害影响，和国际上针对海底大地震的钻探研究经验。根据这些信息，本文建议在断裂带的西段、中断和东段进行大洋钻探，获取穿过断层带的关键沉积和岩石样品，利用沉积古地震方法重建滨海断裂带东段和西段的大地震历史和复发周期，研究断层带的岩石物理性质，揭示滨海断裂中段大地震空区的成因，解析断层分段式破裂的原因，为我国海洋防灾减灾提供重要的科学依据。     

Neotectonic deformation in the transition zone between the Dead Sea Transform and the East Anatolian Fault Zone, Southern Turkey: a palaeomagnetic study of the Karasu Rift Volcanism

In southern Turkey ongoing differential impingement of Arabia into the weak Anatolian collisional collage resulting from subduction of the Neotethyan Ocean has produced one of the most complex crustal interactions along the Alpine–Himalayan Orogen. Several major transforms with disputed motions, including the northward extension of the Dead Sea Fault Zone (DSFZ), meet in this region. To evaluate neotectonic motion on the Amanos and East Hatay fault zones considered to be northward extensions of the DSFZ, the palaeomagnetism of volcanic fields in the Karasu Rift between these faults has been studied. Remanence carriers are low-Ti magnetites and all except 5 of 51 basalt lavas have normal polarity. Morphological, polarity and K–Ar evidence show that rift formation occurred largely during the Brunhes chron with volcanism concentrated at 0.66–0.35 Ma and a subsidiary episode at 0.25–0.05. Forty-four units of normal polarity yield a mean of D/I=8.8°/54.7° with inclination identical to the present-day field and declination rotated clockwise by 8.8±4.0°. Within the 15-km-wide Hassa sector of the Karasu Rift, the volcanic activity is concentrated between the Amanos and East Hatay faults, both with left lateral motions, which have rotated blocks bounded by NW–SE cross faults in a clockwise sense as the Arabian Block has moved northwestwards. An average lava age of 0.5 Ma yields a minimum cumulative slip rate on the system bounding faults of 0.46 cm/year according with the rate deduced from the Africa–Arabia Euler vector and reduced rates of slip on the southern extension of the DSFZ during Plio-Quaternary times. Estimates deduced from offsets of dated lavas flows and morphological features on the Amanos Fault Zone [Tectonophysics 344 (2002) 207] are lower (0.09–0.18 cm/year) probably because they are limited to surface fault breaks and do not embrace the seismogenic crust.Results of this study suggest that most strike slip on the DSFZ is taken up by the Amanos–East Hatay–Afrin fault array in southern Turkey. Comparable estimates of Quaternary slip rate are identified on other faults meeting at an unstable FFF junction (DSFZ, East Anatolian Fault Zone, Karatas Fault Zone). A deceleration in slip rate across the DSFZ and its northward continuation during Plio-Quaternary times correlates with reorganization of the tectonic regime during the last 1–3 Ma including tectonic escape within Anatolia, establishment of the North and East Anatolian Fault Zones bounding the Anatolian collage in mid–late Pliocene times, a contemporaneous transition from transpression to transtension and concentration of all basaltic magmatism in this region within the last 1 Ma.     

柴达木盆地北缘断裂(阿木尼克山段)构造地貌及晚第四纪活动速率研究

柴达木盆地北缘断裂是控制盆地东北部的重要边界活动断裂,其晚第四纪活动特性的研究,对理解南祁连山应变分配模式及断裂活动向柴达木盆地内部挤压扩展过程具有重要意义。柴达木盆地北缘断裂在阿木尼克山段遥感影像线性特征明显,发育一系列断层陡坎、断层三角面、水系扭错等地貌现象。本研究通过遥感解译、地质调查、探槽开挖、GPS地形剖面测量、OSL地质测年等研究表明:在阿木尼克山山前存在长约30 km的地震地质遗迹,连续性好,发育断层陡坎、断层凹槽、地震鼓梁(包)、水系扭错等地貌现象。通过对典型地貌面GPS测量及OSL测年,得到全新世平均垂直速率为0.43±0.02 mm/a。通过DEM图解译得到Fan2洪积扇地貌面最大水平走滑量达48 m,得到13 ka以来走滑速率为3.38～4.21 mm/a; Fan1洪积扇地貌面最大水平走滑量达14 m,计算得到5.1 ka以来走滑速率2.50～2.75 mm/a。     

A critical review of the Kibyra Fault (Burdur-Fethiye Shear Zone,SW Turkey)

The Kibyra Fault is considered as the most significant evidence about the existence of the NE–SW-striking left-lateral Burdur-Fethiye Fault Zone in the south-western Anatolia in previous studies. However, recent studies show that there is a shear regime, named the Burdur-Fethiye Shear Zone, dominated by normal and left-lateral oblique normal faults in this region. A large number of ancient cities lie on this zone and many of them have been damaged by ancient earthquakes. One of these ancient cities is the ancient city of Kibyra. Most of previous studies suggest the Kibyra Fault depending on the damage in the city. However, the closest fault is located on the western side of the city and the earthquake damage was most likely caused by ground shaking. In this study, the existence of the supposed Kibyra Fault is discussed by integrating field studies, geological maps, trench data, digital elevation model and geomorphological analysis. In conclusion, it is understood that there is no evidence directly indicating a 35-km-long left-lateral fault in this region. The aim of this study is to examine the existence of the Kibyra Fault, take a different approach to the active fault studies and emphasise the importance of active faults for socio-economic conditions.     

A new geological slip rate estimate for the Calico Fault,eastern California: implications for geodetic versus geologic rate estimates in the Eastern California Shear Zone

ABSTRACT

Accurate estimation of fault slip rate is fundamental to seismic hazard assessment. Previous work suggested a discrepancy between short-term geodetic and long-term geologic slip rates in the Mojave Desert section of the Eastern California Shear Zone (ECSZ). Understanding the origin of this discrepancy can improve understanding of earthquake hazard and fault evolution. We measured offsets in alluvial fans along the Calico Fault near Newberry Springs, California, and used several techniques to date the offset landforms and determine a slip rate. Our preferred slip rate estimate is 3.2 ± 0.4 mm/yr, representing an average over the last few hundred thousand years, faster than previous estimates. Seismic hazard associated with this fault may therefore be higher than previously assumed. We discuss possible biases in the various slip rate estimates and discuss possible reasons for the rate discrepancy. We suggest that the ECSZ discrepancy is an artefact of limited data, and represents a combination of faster slip on the Calico Fault, off-fault deformation, unmapped fault strands, and uncertainties in the geologic rates that have been underestimated. Assuming our new rate estimate is correct and a fair amount (40%) of off-fault deformation occurs on major ECSZ faults, the summed geologic rate estimate across the Mojave section of the ECSZ is 10.5 ± 3.1 mm/yr, which is equivalent within uncertainties to the geodetic rate estimate.     

Seismo-Tectonic Characteristics of the North Anatolian Fault Zone Between Akyazi and Duzce (Bolu,Turkey)

The active North Anatolian fault zone (NAFZ) presents very complex seismotectonic activity. The occurrence of the Abant earthquake in 1957 (Ms = 7.1) and the Mudurnu earthquake in 1967 (Ms = 6.8) are only two examples of several seismic events associated with intense tectonic activity of the NAFZ. Statistical analyses of earthquakes in an area extending between 30° 30′ to 31° 30' E Long. and 40° 15′ to 41° 00′ N Lat. reveal that epicenters generally were shallow. However, a few deep epicenters also were located, some of which reached a depth of 30 km. The epicenters were found to concentrate in a zone lying between the Duzce and Akyazi Plain to the north of Almacik Mountain and in the Adapazari Plain. The Northern Anatolian fault displays an en echelon character in the area, except for the eastern part, where it extends as a single segment. The en echelon character of the NAFZ is interpreted as a structure distributing the potential energy and consequently reducing the intensity of earthquakes, giving rise to micro-earthquakes of magnitudes less than 4.2.     

Compressive deformation in the floor rocks to the Bushveld Complex (South Africa): evidence from the Rustenburg Fault Zone

The north-northwest-south-southeast striking Rustenburg Fault Zone in the western Transvaal Basin, South Africa, has been extensively mapped in order to unravel its tectonic history. In post-Pretoria Group times, but before the intrusion of the Bushveld Complex at 2050 Ma, the area surrounding the fault zone was subjected to two compressive deformational events. The shortening direction of the first event was directed northeast-southwest, producing southeast-northwest trending folds, and the shortening direction of the second was directed north-northwest - south-southeast, producing east-northeast - west-southwest trending folds. The second set of folds refolded the first set to form typical transitional Type 1-Type 2 interference folding. This compression ultimately caused reactivation of the Rustenburg Fault, with dextral strike-slip movement displacing the Pretoria Group sediments by up to 10.6 km. The subsequent intrusion of the Bushveld Complex intensely recrystallised, and often ponded against the strata along the fault zone. The fault rocks within the fault zone were also recrystallised, destroying any pre-existing tectonic fabric. Locally, the fault zone may have been assimilated by the Bushveld Complex. After the intrusion of the Bushveld Complex, little movement has occurred along the fault, especially where the fault passes under areas occupied by the Bushveld Complex. It is thought that the crystallisation of the Bushveld Complex has rheologically strengthened the neighbouring strata, preventing them from being refaulted. This model is at variance with previous assumptions, which suggest that continuous regional extension during Pretoria Group sedimentation culminated in the intrusion of the Bushveld Complex.     

南海北部阳江‒一统暗沙断裂带与新近纪岩浆活动

阳江?一统暗沙断裂带是南海北部珠江口盆地极其重要的中?新生代构造带和转换带.基于钻井资料和大范围、高密度的二维、三维地震资料,本文初步揭示阳江?一统暗沙断裂带走向为NW-NWW向、宽约30 km,沿着断裂走向从陆架至洋陆边界断裂带可分为北?中?南三段,断裂在新生代选择性活化,具有多重走滑断裂叠合和基底岩浆底辟强烈等特点...     

Tournaisian age of granitoids from the Odra Fault Zone (southwestern Poland): equivalent of the Mid-German Crystalline High?

The Odra Fault Zone of southwestern Poland is a NW-trending horst marked by gravimetric and magnetic anomalies and composed of high- to low-grade metamorphic and igneous rocks which are only known from boreholes. This zone embraces a concealed border between Variscan internides and externides. It also contains an array of several I-type, metaluminous to peraluminous, high potassic granitoid bodies which intruded earlier metamorphosed rocks. Except for one case, they remain unfoliated and undeformed, and presumably play a role of stitching plutons at the suture between two obliquely colliding terranes. U–Pb TIMS dating of single zircons from one foliated and one unfoliated granitoid samples yielded identical concordant ages of 344±1 Ma (Tournaisian). They resemble a Pb–Pb age of 350±5 Ma obtained for S-type granitoids from the Luckau area further west in Germany, which is generally regarded as an eastern segment of the Mid-German Crystalline High. Carboniferous granitic intrusions in the high are generally younger (340–290 Ma). Correlations of the the Odra Fault Zone with the Mid-German Crystalline High appear plausible, but by no means certain and require further confirmation.     

Characteristics of the 1912 co-seismic rupture along the North Anatolian Fault Zone (Turkey): implications for the expected Marmara earthquake

Evidence of right‐lateral offsets associated with the 1912 earthquake (M_w 7.4) along the North Anatolian Fault (Gaziköy–Saros segment) allow us to survey (using DGPS) the co‐seismic and cumulative slip distribution. The damage distribution and surface breaks related with the earthquake show an elongated zone of maximum intensity (X MSK) parallel to the fault rupture on land but this may extend offshore to the north‐east and south‐west. Detailed mapping of the fault using topographic maps and aerial photographs indicates the existence of pull‐apart basins and pressure ridges. At several localities, the average 1912 offset along strike is 3.5–4 m and cumulative slip is 2–6 times that of individual movement. The fault rupture geometry and slip distribution suggest the existence of three subsegments with a combined total length of 110–120 km, a fault length and maximum slip similar to those of the 1999 Izmit earthquake. The amount of slip at the north‐easternmost section and in the coastal region of the Sea of Marmara reaches an average 4 m, thereby implying the offshore extension of the 1912 rupture. The results suggest that the 1912 event generated up to 150 km of surface faulting, which would imply a M_w 7.2–7.4 earthquake and which, added with rupture lengths of the 1999 earthquakes, help to constrain the remaining seismic gap in the Sea of Marmara.     

Temporal variation in the geometry of a strike–slip fault zone: Examples from the Dead Sea Transform

The location of the active fault strands along the Dead Sea Transform fault zone (DST) changed through time. In the western margins of Dead Sea basin, the early activity began a few kilometers west of the preset shores and moved toward the center of the basin in four stages. Similar centerward migration of faulting is apparent in the Hula Valley north of the Sea of Galilee as well as in the Negev and the Sinai Peninsula. In the Arava Valley, seismic surveys reveal a series of buried inactive basins whereas the current active strand is on their eastern margins. In the central Arava the centerward migration of activity was followed by outward migration with Pleistocene faulting along NNE-trending faults nearly 50 km west of the center. Largely the faulting along the DST, which began in the early–middle Miocene over a wide zone of up to 50 km, became localized by the end of the Miocene. The subsidence of fault-controlled basins, which were active in the early stage, stopped at the end of the Miocene. Later during the Plio-Pleistocene new faults were formed in the Negev west of the main transform. They indicate that another cycle has begun with the widening of the fault zone. It is suggested that the localization of faulting goes on as long as there is no change in the stress field. The stresses change because the geometry of the plates must change as they move, and consequently the localization stage ends. The fault zone is rearranged, becomes wide, and a new localization stage begins as slip accumulates. It is hypothesized that alternating periods of widening and narrowing correlate to changes of the plate boundaries, manifest in different Euler poles.     

Quaternary palaeoceanographic changes in the northern South China Sea (ODP Site 1146): radiolarian evidence

The abundance and accumulation rates of siliceous microfossils in the northern South China Sea, including radiolarians, diatoms and sponge spicules, increased during most glacial intervals within the past 1100 kyr. Similar trends are observed in the index of thermocline surface radiolarians (TSR), diatom accumulation rates (DAR), charcoal accumulation rates (CAR) and the abundance of radiolarian species Cycladophora davisiana davisiana. Decreasing sea‐surface temperature accompanied by increased seasonality since 900 ka is indicated by a decline in the tropical radiolarian assemblage, including Tetrapyle octacantha and Octopyle stenozona, and by an increase in the subtropical assemblage, including Pterocorys zancleus, Peromelissa phalacra and Ommatartuts tetrathalamus tetrathalamus. Rapid increases at about 800 to 700 ka of siliceous microfossils, charcoal, subsurface and intermediate radiolarians, as well as the TSR index and the DAR, imply a fundamental shift in climate and a shoaling thermocline. Although these fundamental changes in the silicious fauna and flora of the South China Sea take place within the context of a developing 100‐kyr cycle, they do not change in step with changing sea‐level as indicated by marine δ¹⁸O. This is most clearly illustrated by the step‐like increase in silica accumulation (radiolaria, diatoms and sponge spicules) at 680 ka. Rather, these fundamental changes probably reflect intensified surface productivity associated with enhanced East Asian winter‐monsoon circulation. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

藏北北羌塘盆地那底岗日组时代归属的新证据

藏北北羌塘盆地那底岗日组是一套角度不整合于三叠系肖茶卡组灰岩之上、假整合伏于侏罗系雀莫错组陆源碎屑岩之下的一套陆相火山岩夹火山碎屑岩及陆源碎屑岩地层,现有的资料都将其时代归属于早侏罗世。取自北羌塘盆地不同地区的2个那底岗日组流纹质晶屑凝灰岩和1个流纹质英安岩样品的SHRIMP锆石U-Pb定年结果分别为205Ma±4Ma、208Ma±4Ma和210Ma±4Ma,它们代表了那底岗日火山岩的形成时代,即那底岗日组的时代应为晚三叠世中期(诺利期)。那底岗日组形成时代的重新确定,对于重新认识羌塘盆地中生代火山喷发事件、羌塘盆地的性质与沉积构造演化具有重要意义。     

南海北缘新生代构造演化的深部制约(I):幔源包体

对南海北缘新生代玄武岩中幔源包体的研究揭示了该地区上地幔的不均一性和复杂的地幔过程。部分橄榄岩中单斜辉石(Cpx)具有极低的Ti含量(<160μg/g),这与这些样品中较高的Cpx含量(8%～12%)不匹配。主元素成分变化趋势以及Cpx中HREE分异现象,暗示该区上地幔经历了变压熔融。地幔熔融始于深部的石榴子石稳定区并延续到浅部的尖晶石稳定区(总熔融程度达23%)。这些熔融残余受到了硅酸盐和含水流体的交代。橄榄岩的微量元素组成指示南海北缘地幔具有大陆裂谷型地幔的特征,而与俯冲带之上的地幔楔或受俯冲作用影响的地幔有很大的差别。包体的平衡温度和橄榄石中Fo之间的负相关关系暗示岩石圈地幔具成分分层结构。该地幔的下部由大洋型橄榄岩组成,而地幔顶部为类似于太古宙-元古宙地幔的富斜方辉石方辉橄榄岩。这一岩石圈结构与该地区岩石圈的减薄和软流圈对老岩石圈的置换有关。深源岩石记录的信息支持南海海盆是陆缘扩张引起的主动盆地的观点。     

Quaternary Tholeiitic to Alkaline Volcanism in the Karasu Valley,Dead Sea Rift Zone,Southeast Turkey: Sr-Nd-Pb-O Isotopic and Trace-Element Approaches to Crust-Mantle Interaction

Rare-earth-element, radiogenic and oxygen isotope, and mineral chemical data are presented for tholeiitic and alkaline Quaternary volcanism from Karasu Valley (Hatay, southeastern Turkey). Karasu Valley is the northern segment of the Dead Sea transform fault and is filled with flood-basalt type volcanics of Quaternary age. This valley is an active fault zone that is known as “Karasu fault,” extending in a NE-SW direction. The Karasu Valley basaltic volcanics (KVBV) are subaphyric to porphyritic, with variable amounts of olivine, clinopyroxene, and plagioclase phenocrysts. Alkali basalts are generally characterized by high contents of olivine, clinopyroxene, and plagioclase phenocrysts. Their groundmass contains olivine, clinopyroxene, plagioclase, and Fe-Ti oxides. Tholeiitic basalts are subaphyric to porphyritic (high contents of olivine, clinopyroxene, and plagioclase). Their groundmass is similar to that of alkali basalts. The range of olivine phenocryst and microlite compositions for all analyzed samples is Fo₈₁ to Fo₄₃. Plagioclase compositions in both tholeiitic and alkali basalts range from andesine, An₃₈ to bytownite, An₇₂. Clinopyroxene compositions range from diopside to calcic augite. Most of the olivine, plagioclase, and clinopyroxene phenocrysts are normally zoned and/or unzoned. Fe-Ti oxides in both series are titanomagnetite and ilmenite.

Based on normative and geochemical data, the Karasu Valley basaltic volcanics are mostly olivine and quartz-tholeiites, and relatively lesser amount of alkali olivine-basalts. KVBV have low K₂O/Na₂O ratios, typically between 0.25 and 0.45. Olivine- and quartz-tholeiites are older than alkali olivine-basalts. Olivine tholeiites have Zr/Nb and Y/Nb ratios similar to alkaline rocks, but their Ba/Nb, Ba/La, and La/Nb ratios are slightly higher than alkali olivine-basalts. In contrast, quartz-tholeiites have the highest Ba/Nb, Ba/La, Zr/Nb, and Y/Nb and the lowest Nb/La ratios among the KVBV. Alkali basalts have ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios ranging from 0.703353 to 0.704410 and 0.512860 to 0.512910, respectively. In contrast, quartz-tholeiites have higher ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and lower ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios, which vary from 0.704410 to 0.705490 and 0.512628 to 0.512640, respectively. Olivine tholeiites have intermediate isotopic compositions ranging from 0.703490 to 0.704780 and 0.512699 to 0.512780, respectively. ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb isotopic ratios of KVBV range from 18.817 to 19.325, 15.640 to 15.718, and 39.054 to 39.223, respectively. The range of O isotope values is between +5.84 and +7.97‰. The higher O and Sr isotopes in olivine- and quartz-tholeiites relative to alkali olivine-basalts can be explained by contamination of magmas by crustal materials.

The KVBV have intraplate chemistry similar to that of other tholeiitic and alkaline basalts in other within-plate environments, and isotopes range from isotopically depleted mantle to enriched isotope compositions similar to some enriched ocean islands. Trace-element and isotope data indicate that the KVBV are derived from a common OIB-like asthenospheric mantle source, but they have experienced different degrees of crustal contamination during their ascent to the surface, contemporaneous with little fractional crystallization. Although quartz-tholeiites display significant effects of crustal contamination, alkali olivine-basalts appear to have negligible or no crustal contamination in their geesis.     

Late Neogene rift valley fill sediments preserved in caves of the Dead Sea Fault Escarpment (Israel): palaeogeographic and morphotectonic implications

Evaporitic‐lagoonal marl and dolomite laminar fill sediments are preserved in relict dry caves of the Dead Sea Fault Escarpment (Israel) which has been tectonically active since the Late Neogene. The hosting caves are located within Turonian massive carbonate bedrock and at higher altitudes than previously documented fill sediments of the Dead Sea depression. Based on the relative altitudes of the cave sediments, the ‘reversed stratigraphy’ of the Dead Sea depression fill sediments, possible partial correlation of the cave sediments with other fill sedimentary units of the depression, and sedimentary, geochemical and mineralogical characteristics, it is concluded that: (i) the cave sediments are among the oldest of the depression fill; and (ii) the deposition of the cave sediments took place in hypersaline dolomite‐precipitating water bodies of Late Neogene age, during the initial morphotectonic stages of the depression formation. Variable and relatively low Sr/Ca and δ³⁴S ratios of the cave sediments (assuming precipitation from sea water) suggest variable fresh water input into the depositional brine. The present altitudes of the cave sediments reflect Late Neogene levels of water bodies in the depression, modified by vertical post‐Late Neogene tectonic movements within the still active fault escarpment. According to these altitudes, a 50 to 250 m uplift of the western margins of the depression since the Late Miocene to Early Pliocene is inferred.     

Palaeolimnology of Lake Sapanca and identification of historic earthquake signals,Northern Anatolian Fault Zone (Turkey)

Lake Sapanca is located on a strand of the Northern Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ, Turkey), where a series of strong earthquakes (Ms >6.0) have occurred over the past hundred years. Identifying prehistoric earthquakes in and around Lake Sapanca is key to a better understanding of plate movements along the NAFZ. This study contributes to the development of palaeolimnological tools to identify past earthquakes in Lake Sapanca. To this end several promising proxies were investigated, specifically lithology, magnetic susceptibility, grain size (thin-section and laser analysis), geochemistry, pollen concentration, diatom assemblages, ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb. Sedimentological indicators provided evidence for reworked, turbidite-like or homogeneous facies (event layers) in several short cores (<45 cm). Other indicators of sediment input and the historical chronicles available for the area suggest that three of these event layers likely originated from the AD 1957, 1967 and 1999 earthquakes. Recent changes in sediment deposition and nutrient levels have also been identified, but are probably not related to earthquakes. This study demonstrates that a combination of indicators can be used to recognize earthquake-related event layers in cores that encompass a longer period of time.