Seismic behaviour of the North Anatolian Fault beneath the Sea of Marmara (NW Turkey): implications for earthquake recurrence times and future seismic hazard

Possible long-term seismic behaviour of the Northern strand of the North Anatolian Fault Zone, between western extreme of the 1999 İzmit rupture and the Aegean Sea, after 400 AD is studied by examining the historical seismicity, the submarine fault mapping and the paleoseismological studies of the recent scientific efforts. The long-term seismic behaviour is discussed through two possible seismicity models devised from M _S ≥ 7.0 historical earthquakes. The estimated return period of years of the fault segments for M1 and M2 seismic models along with their standard deviations are as follows: F4 segment 255 ± 60 and 258 ± 12; F5 segment 258 ± 60 and 258 ± 53; F6 segment 258 ± 60 and 258 ± 53; F7 segment 286 ± 103 and 286 ± 90; F8 segment 286 ± 90 and 286 ± 36. As the latest ruptures on the submarine segments have been reported to be during the 1754–1766 earthquake sequence, and the 1912 mainshock rupture has been evidenced to extend almost all over the western part of the Sea of Marmara, our results imply imminent seismic hazard and, considering the mean recurrence time, a large earthquake to strike the eastern part of the Sea of Marmara in the next two decades.     

The effects of the North Anatolian Fault on the geomorphology in the Eastern Marmara Region,Northwestern Turkey

North-western Anatolia has been actively deformed since Pliocene by the right-lateral North Anatolian Fault (NAF). This transform fault, which has a transtensional character in its western end due to effects from the Aegean extensional system, is a major control on the regional geomorphologic evolution. This study applied some geomorphic analyses, such as stream longitudinal profiles, stream length-gradient index, ratio of valley floor width and valley height, mountain front sinuosity, hypsometry and asymmetry factor analyses, to an area just east of the Sea of Marmara in order to understand the tectonic effects on the area’s geomorphological evolution. The active and fastest northern branch of the NAF lies within a topographic depression connecting Sea of Marmara in the east to the Adapazar? Basin in the west. This depression filled with early Pleistocene and younger sediment after a series of pull-apart basins opened along the NAF. North of this depression lies the Kocaeli Peneplain, whose southern edge the NAF uplifted. Meandering streams on the central peneplain were incised possibly due to baselevel changes in the Black Sea. South of the depression, an E-trending mountainous area has a rugged morphology. Based on geomorphic analyses, uplifted Pliocene sediment, marine terraces, and recent earthquake activity, this area between northern and southern branches of the NAF is actively uplifting. The geomorphic indices used in this study are sensitive to vertical movements rather than lateral ones. The bedrock lithology that played an important role on the area’s geomorphologic evolution also affects the geomorphic indices used here.     

Analysis of the North Anatolian Shear Zone in Central Pontides (northern Turkey): Insight for geometries and kinematics of deformation structures in a transpressional zone

The western part of the North Anatolian Shear Zone at the southern boundary of the Central Pontides in Turkey, was investigated in the Kurşunlu-Araç area by means of a geological-structural field study. In this area the North Anatolian Shear Zone results in a transpressional deformation zone that extends between two master faults striking parallel to the main shear direction. The main systems of structures identified in the deformation zone appear to be oriented parallel to the directions predicted by Riedel theoretical model. Nevertheless, the strain partitioning is more complicated than predicted by theory. The structural analysis suggests a polyphase deformation characterized by a steady component of transcurrence associated with alternance of compression and extension. Along each of theoretical directions the combination of double verging structures can be observed, with folds and thrust surfaces root into high-angle shear zones, according to flower-type geometries. The discrepancies of directions, kinematics and geometries from theoretical models are due to transpressive and/or transtensive nature of the deformation. According to the observed outcropping structures, we propose a conceptual model for the North Anatolian Shear Zone, interpreting it as a crustal-scale positive flower structure.     

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.     

Elastic and inelastic triggering of earthquakes in the North Anatolian Fault zone

Deformation models used to explain the triggering mechanism often assume pure elastic behaviour for the crust and upper mantle. In reality however, the mantle and possibly the lower crust behave viscoelastically, particularly over longer time scales. Consequently, the stress field of an earthquake is in general time-dependent. In addition, if the elastic stress increase were enough to trigger a later earthquake, this triggered event should occur instantaneously and not many years after the triggering event. Hence, it is appropriate to include inelastic behaviour when analysing stress transfer and earthquake interaction.In this work, we analyse a sequence of 10 magnitude M_s > 6.5 events along the North Anatolian Fault between 1939 and 1999 to study the evolution of the regional Coulomb stress field. We investigate the triggering of these events by stress transfer, taking viscoelastic relaxation into account. We evaluate the contribution of elastic stress changes, of post-seismic viscoelastic relaxation in the lower crust and mantle, and of steady tectonic loading to the total Coulomb stress field. We analyse the evolution of stress in the region under study, as well as on the rupture surfaces of the considered events and their epicentres. We study the state of the Coulomb stress field before the 1999 İzmit and Düzce earthquakes, as well as in the Marmara Sea region.In general, the Coulomb stress failure criterion offers a plausible explanation for the location of these events. However, we show that using a purely elastic model disregards an important part of the actual stress increase/decrease. In several cases, post-seismic relaxation effects are important and greater in magnitude than the stress changes due to steady tectonic loading. Consequently, viscoelastic relaxation should be considered in any study dealing with Coulomb stress changes.According to our study, and assuming that an important part of the rupture surface must be stressed for an earthquake to occur, the most likely value for the viscosity of the lower crust or mantle in this region is 5 · 10¹⁷–10¹⁸ Pa · s. Our results cannot rule out the possibility of other time-dependent processes involved in the triggering of the 1999 Düzce event. However, the stress increase due to viscoelastic relaxation brought 22% of the 1999 Düzce rupture area over the threshold value of Δσ_c ≥ 0.01 MPa (0.1 bar), and took the whole surface closer to failure by an average of 0.2 MPa. Finally, we argue that the Marmara Sea region is currently being loaded with positive Coulomb stresses at a much faster rate than would arise exclusively from steady tectonic loading on the North Anatolian Fault.     

The Bekten Fault: the palaeoseismic behaviour and kinematic characteristics of an intervening segment of the North Anatolian Fault Zone,Southern Marmara Region,Turkey

The Bekten Fault is 20-km long N55°E trending and oblique-slip fault in the dextral strike-slip fault zone. The fault is extending sub-parallel between Yenice-Gönen and Sar?köy faults, which forms the southern branch of North Anatolian Fault Zone in Southern Marmara Region. Tectonomorphological structures indicative of the recent fault displacements such as elongated ridges and offset creeks observed along the fault. In this study, we investigated palaeoseismic activities of the Bekten Fault by trenching surveys, which were carried out over a topographic saddle. The trench exposed the fault and the trench stratigraphy revealed repeated earthquake surface rupture events which resulted in displacements of late Pleistocene and Holocene deposits. According to radiocarbon ages obtained from samples taken from the event horizons in the stratigraphy, it was determined that at least three earthquakes resulting in surface rupture generated from the Bekten Fault within last ~1300 years. Based on the palaeoseismological data, the Bekten Fault displays non-characteristic earthquake behaviour and has not produced any earthquake associated with surface rupture for about the last 400 years. Additionally, the data will provide information for the role of small fault segments play except for the major structures in strike-slip fault systems.     

The role of thrust ramp reactivation in pull-apart mechanism of the Erzincan basin,North Anatolian Fault Zone,Turkey

The new field data obtained from the southwestern margin of the Erzincan pull-apart basin located on the eastern segment of North Anatolian Fault Zone indicate that the opening of the basin is not only controlled by pull-apart mechanism but also by a lateral ramp structure associated with SSE-NNW Late Miocene thrusting along the Sivas Basin. The fault bordering the southwestern margin of the basin is the lateral part of the Karada thrust that is the roof thrust of the Sivas fold-thrust system, rather than a segment of the North Anatolian Fault Zone. The Erzincan basin was nucleated as a lateral ramp basin during the Pliocene on the lateral ramp-related folds and expanded by the pull-apart opening mechanism between two segments of the North Anatolian Fault Zone. The WSW-ENE pull-apart opening of the basin was recorded by the Pliocene lacustrine-fluvial sediments and Quaternary volcanics as listric normal faulting.     

Major neotectonic features of eastern Marmara region,Turkey: development of the Adapazarı–Karasu corridor and its tectonic significance

Eastern Marmara region consists of three different morphotectonic units: Thrace–Kocaeli Peneplain (TKP) and Çamdağ–Akçakoca Highland (ÇAH) in the north, and Armutlu–Almacık Highland in the south of the North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ). The geologic‐morphologic data and seismic profiles from the Sakarya River offshore indicate that the boundary between the TKP in the west and ÇAH in the east is a previously unrecognized major NNE–SSW‐trending strike‐slip fault zone with reverse component. The fault zone is a distinct morphotectonic corridor herein named the Adapazarı–Karasu corridor (AKC) that runs along the Sakarya River Valley and extends to its submarine canyon along the southern margin of the Black Sea in the north. It formed as a transfer fault zone between the TKP and ÇAH during the Late Miocene; the former has been experiencing extensional forces and the latter compressional forces since then. East–West‐trending segments of the NAFZ cuts the NE–SW‐trending AKC and their activity has resulted in the formation of a distinct fault‐bounded morphology, which is characterized by alternating E–W highlands and lowlands in the AKC. Furthermore, this activity has resulted in the downward motion of an ancient delta and submarine canyon of the Sakarya River in the northern block of the NAFZ below sea level so that the waters of the Black Sea invaded them. The NE–SW‐trending faults in the AKC were reactivated with the development of the NAFZ in the Late Pliocene, which then caused block motions and microseismic activities throughout the AKC. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Uplift and subsidence from oblique slip: the Ganos–Marmara bend of the North Anatolian Transform, western Turkey

Bends that locally violate plate-motion-parallel geometry are common structural elements of continental transform faults. We relate the vertical component of crustal motion in the western Marmara Sea region to the NNW-pointing 18° bend on the northern branch of the North Anatolian Fault (NAF-N) between the Ganos segment, which ruptured in 1912, and the central Marmara segment, a seismic gap. Crustal shortening and uplift on the transpressive west side of the bend results in the Ganos Mountain; crustal extension and subsidence on the transtensional east side produce the Tekirdağ Basin. We propose that this vertical component of deformation is controlled by oblique slip on the non-vertical north-dipping Ganos and Tekirdağ segments of the North Anatolian Fault. We compare Holocene with Quaternary structure across the bend using new and recently published data and conclude the following. First, bend-related vertical motion is occurring primarily north of the NAF-N. This suggests that this bend is fixed to the Anatolian side of the fault. Second, current deformation is consistent with an antisymmetric pattern centered at the bend, up on the west and down on the east. Accumulated deformation is shifted to the east along the right-lateral NAF-N, however, leading to locally opposite vertical components of long- and short-term motion. Uplift has started as far west as the landward extension of the Saros trough. Current subsidence is most intense close to the bend and to the Ganos Mountain, while the basin deepens gradually from the bend eastward for 28 km along the fault. The pattern of deformation is time-transgressive if referenced to the material, but is stable if referenced to the bend. The lag between motion and structure implies a 1.1–1.4 Ma age for the basin at current dextral slip rate (2.0–2.5 cm/year). Third, the Tekirdağ is an asymmetric basin progressively tilted down toward the NAF-N, which serves as the border fault. Progressive tilt suggests that the steep northward dip of the fault decreases with depth in a listric geometry at the scale of the upper crust and is consistent with reactivation of Paleogene suture-related thrust faults. Fourth, similar thrust-fault geometry west of the bend can account for the Ganos Mountain anticline/monocline as hanging-wall-block folding and back tilting. Oblique slip on a non-vertical master fault may accommodate transtension and transpression associated with other bends along the NAF and other continental transforms.     

Anthropogenic affects on lake sedimentation process: a case study from Lake Sapanca, NW Turkey

Lake Sapanca in NW Turkey is a fault originated freshwater basin fed by seasonally variable flows of 15 streams. Considerations of lake–river interaction, supported by statistical measures of 47 bottom samples, suggest that sediment transport and deposition within the lake is controlled by two types of human constructed structures in addition to natural factors: (1) the dykes constructed in the front of streams, which feed the lake by strong flows, to prevent the filling of lakebed by coarse-grained sediments; (2) the constructed regulator on the outflowing Çarksuyu stream results in a higher sedimentation rate of clay-sized material on the NE corner of the lake, which is extraordinary in the shelf environment.     

Strong ground motion estimation in the Sea of Marmara region (Turkey) based on a scenario earthquake

We perform a broadband frequency bedrock strong ground motion simulation in the Marmara Sea region (Turkey), based on several fault rupture scenarios and a source asperity model. The technique combines a deterministic simulation of seismic wave propagation at low frequencies with a semi-stochastic procedure for the high frequencies. To model the high frequencies, we applied a frequency-dependent radiation pattern model, which efficiently removes the effective dependence of the pattern coefficient on the azimuth and take-off angle as the frequency increases. The earthquake scenarios considered consist of the rupture of the closest segments of the North Anatolian Fault System to the city of Istanbul. Our scenario earthquakes involve the rupture of the entire North Anatolian Fault beneath the Sea of Marmara, namely the combined rupture of the Central Marmara Fault and North Boundary Fault segments. We defined three fault rupture scenarios based on the location of the hypocenter, selecting a preferred hypocentral location near a fault bend for each case. We analysed the effect of location of the asperity, within the Central Marmara Fault, on the subsequent ground motion, as well as the influence of anelasticity on the high-frequency attenuation characteristics. The fault and asperity parameters for each scenario were determined from empirical scalings and from results of kinematic and dynamic models of fault rupture. We calculated the resulting time series and spectra for ground motion at Istanbul and evaluated the sensitivity of the predictions to choice of model parameters. The location of the hypocenter is thus shown to be a critical parameter for determining the worst scenario earthquake at Istanbul. We also found that anelasticity has a significant effect on the regional attenuation of peak ground accelerations. Our simulated ground motions result in large values of acceleration response spectra at long periods, which could be critical for building damage at Istanbul during an actual earthquake.     

A Tsunami Generated by a Possible Submarine Slide: Evidence for Slope Failure Triggered by the North Anatolian Fault Movement

A tsunamigenic sediment layer has been discovered in fluvio-alluvial sequences on the northern coast of the Marmara Sea, northwestern Turkey. The layer consists of unsorted silty coarse sand including terrestrial molluscs and charcoal fragments. The AMS radiometric ages of the shells have been estimated at around BC 400, AD 300, AD 400, and AD 1000. We propose that a tsunami occurred in the Marmara Sea in the middle of 11th century and invaded the fluvial plains. The older fossils were derived from the underlying horizons, and it is probable that buoyant materials such as terrestrial molluscs and charcoals were isolated from liquefied sediments during submarine sliding. Slope failure of coastal blocks triggered by fault movement generated tsunamis, which might have transported floating materials to the backshore.     

Control of active faults and sea level changes on the distribution of shallow gas accumulations and gas-related seismic structures along the central branch of the North Anatolian Fault,southern Marmara shelf,Turkey

Detailed reviews of multichannel seismic reflection, sparker, chirp and multibeam data that were collected on the southern Marmara Sea shelf revealed various shallow gas indicators and related sedimentary structures, including enhanced reflections, seismic chimneys, acoustic blanking, bright spots, pockmarks, mound-like features and seeps. Seismic attribute analyses were applied to characterise the existence of gas-bearing sediments. The distribution of shallow gas indicators provides important insights into their origin and the geological factors that control them. Prominent gas accumulations and seeps are observed along the profiles that cross the branches of the central segment of the North Anatolian Fault Zone, which indicates that the gas seeps are controlled by active faulting. This indicates that the faults act as conduits through the sedimentary column. The dense occurrences of gas directly off the river mouths along the shallow bays provide clues about the organic-rich carbon content of the sediments and biogenic methane generation. In some areas, the gas-related acoustic anomalies are mostly located in the upper sediments below the marine unit, which indicates that the gas emissions in these areas were terminated as a result of the increased overburden pressure after the Holocene sea level rise and the deposition of the marine unit.     

Failure and flow development of a collapse induced complex landslide: the 2005 Kuzulu (Koyulhisar, Turkey) landslide hazard

Koyulhisar located in a slope of hilly region and constructed in the side of a mountain along the North Anatolian Fault Zone is frequently subject to landslides. A catastrophic landslide occurred on the morning of 17 March 2005 in the North of the Kuzulu district of Koyulhisar (Sivas, Turkey). This landslide caused widespread loss of life, and damage to buildings, and lifelines. Fifteen people were dead and five were injured, 21 houses and a minaret were covered and damaged severely. The case study presented in this paper describes and analyses the results of the detailed surveys of an interesting landslide in Kuzulu district of Koyulhisar (Sivas, Turkey), based on field and laboratory measurements and monitoring of the slide area. Landslide initiated as a collapse, and developed into debris avalanches in the valley. This phenomenon caused a disaster in the Kuzulu district. The importance of this landslide in particular has been recognized both in terms of its consequence for the people and structures and in terms of its role in allowing an understanding of process and properties of landslide triggered by a collapse in limestone karst. In view of the potential for such events to occur again in this area and environs, understanding of the failure mechanism is very crucial.     

Structural evidence for superposition of transtension on transpression in the Zagros collision zone: Main Recent Fault,Piranshahr area,NW Iran

The Main Recent Fault of the Zagros Orogen is an active major dextral strike-slip fault along the Zagros collision zone, generated by oblique continent–continent collision of the Arabian plate with Iranian micro-continent. Two different fault styles are observed along the Piranshahr fault segment of the Main Recent Fault in NW Iran. The first style is a SW-dipping oblique reverse fault with dextral strike-slip displacement and the second style consists of cross-cutting NE-dipping, oblique normal fault dipping to the NE with the same dextral strike-slip displacement. A fault propagation anticline is generated SW of the oblique reverse fault. An active pull-apart basin has been produced to the NE of the Piranshahr oblique normal fault and is associated with other sub-parallel NE-dipping normal faults cutting the reverse oblique fault. Another cross-cutting set of NE–SW trending normal faults are also exist in the pull-apart area. We conclude that the NE verging major dextral oblique reverse fault initiated as a SW verging thrust system due to dextral transpression tectonic of the Zagros collision zone and later it has been overprinted by the NE-dipping oblique normal fault producing dextral strike-slip displacement reflecting progressive change of transpression into transtension in the collision zone. The active Piranshahr pull-apart basin has been generated due to a releasing damage zone along the NW segment of the Main Recent Fault in this area at an overlap of Piranshahr oblique normal fault segment of the Main Recent Fault and the Serow fault, the continuation of the Main Recent Fault to the N.     

Pre-eruptive conditions revealed by mega- and pheno-cryst compositions from the Quaternary Erzincan Volcanics, Eastern Turkey: Insights into the magma processes

Quaternary Erzincan Volcanics (QEVs) from the Erzincan Basin consist of mega- and pheno-cryst-bearing high-K calc-alkaline dome lavas. Fourteen nearly phenocrystic domes, with a range of basaltic-andesite, andesite, dacite and rhyolite compositions, were emplaced in the North Anatolian Fault Zone. The emplacement ages yielded by the unspiked K–Ar technique range from 102 to 140 ka. The andesitic domes (each less than 3 km in diameter) contain amphibole megacrysts. Amphibole compositions show a linear variation from ferro-edenite, edenite to pargasite from rhyolite to andesite. Pargasitic amphibole megacrysts scattered into the groundmass are very similar in composition to the microlites. All plagioclases are 53 mol%. Oscillation types are An₃₂₋₅₀ whose variations range from 10 to 16 mol% An and have 10–150 μm in thickness. Pre-eruptive conditions, calculated from mega- and pheno-cryst composition, using pyroxene and two oxide thermometers and the Al-in-hornblende barometer, ranged from 918 to 837 °C and 6.6 to 4.3 kbar for andesitic magma, 824–755 °C and 4.6–4.2 kbar for dacitic magma to 803–692 °C and 4.3–3.9 kbar for rhyolitic magma, which correspond to a depth of >10 km for storage region of the crust. The fO₂ values vary from −14.25 to −15.35 log units which are plotted just below nickel–nickel oxide (NNO) buffers. The systematic decrease in thermobarometric results from andesite to rhyolite is consistent with a single magma reservoir moving upward through the crust followed by fractional crystallization. Textural and compositional relationships of mega- and pheno-crystic phases suggest that magma mixing, fluid input to the reservoir and fractional crystallization processes, with a small amount crustal contamination play key role in evolution of the QEVs.     

Fault growth and interactions in a multiphase rift fault network: Horda Platform,Norwegian North Sea

Physical models predict that multiphase rifts that experience a change in extension direction between stretching phases will typically develop non-colinear normal fault sets. Furthermore, multiphase rifts will display a greater frequency and range of styles of fault interactions than single-phase rifts. Although these physical models have yielded useful information on the evolution of fault networks in map view, the true 3D geometry of the faults and associated interactions are poorly understood. Here, we use an integrated 3D seismic reflection and borehole dataset to examine a range of fault interactions that occur in a natural multiphase fault network in the northern Horda Platform, northern North Sea. In particular we aim to: i) determine the range of styles of fault interaction that occur between non-colinear faults; ii) examine the typical geometries and throw patterns associated with each of these different styles; and iii) highlight the differences between single-phase and multiphase rift fault networks. Our study focuses on a ca. 350 km² region around the >60 km long, N–S-striking Tusse Fault, a normal fault system that was active in the Permian–Triassic and again in the Late Jurassic-to-Early Cretaceous. The Tusse Fault is one of a series of large (>1500 m throw) N–S-striking faults forming part of the northern Horda Platform fault network, which includes numerous smaller (2–10 km long), lower throw (<100 m), predominantly NW–SE-striking faults that were only active during the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous. We examine how the 2^nd-stage NW–SE-striking faults grew, interacted and linked with the N–S-striking Tusse Fault, documenting a range of interaction styles including mechanical and kinematic isolation, abutment, retardation and reactivated relays. Our results demonstrate that: i) isolated, and abutting interactions are the most common fault interaction styles in the northern Horda Platform; ii) pre-existing faults can act as sites of nucleation for 2^nd-stage faults or may form mechanical barriers to propagation; iii) the throw distribution on reactivated 1^st-stage faults will be modified in a predictable manner if they are intersected or influenced by 2^nd-stage faults; iv) sites of fault linkage and relay-breaching associated with the first phase of extension can act as preferential nucleation sites for 2^nd-stage faults; and v) the development of fault intersections is a dynamic process, involving the gradual transition from one style to another.     

Asymmetric slip partitioning in the Sea of Marmara pull‐apart: a clue to propagation processes of the North Anatolian Fault?

Between 1939 and 1999 the North Anatolian fault (NAF) experienced a westward progression of eight large earthquakes over 800 km of its morphological trace. The 2000-km-long North Anatolian transform fault has also grown by westward propagation through continental lithosphere over a much longer timescale (∼10 Myr). The Sea of Marmara is a large pull-apart that appears to have been a geometrical/mechanical obstacle encountered by the NAF during its propagation. The present paper focuses on new high-resolution data on the submarine fault system that forms a smaller pull-apart beneath the Northern Sea of Marmara, between two well-known strike-slip faults on land (Izmit and Ganos faults). The outstandingly clear submarine morphology reveals a segmented fault system including pull-apart features at a range of scales, which indicate a dominant transtensional tectonic regime. There is no evidence for a single, continuous, purely strike-slip fault. This result is critical to understanding of the seismic behaviour of this region of the NAF, close to Istanbul. Additionally, morphological and geological evidence is found for a stable kinematics consistent both with the long-term displacement field determined for the past 5 Myr and with present-day Anatolia/Eurasia motion determined with GPS. However, within the Sea of Marmara region the fault kinematics involves asymmetric slip partitioning that appears to have extended throughout the evolution of the pull-apart. The loading associated with the westward propagation process of the NAF may have provided a favourable initial geometry for such a slip separation.