Contemporary surface wind climatology of Turkey

The aim of this study was to examine the climatological characteristics of boundary layer gradient winds in Turkey in detail. In the study, monthly average wind speed (V _m) data measured at 267 stations for the 16 directions, prevailing wind direction (V _p), and station pressure (P _s) data measured at 174 stations during the period 1970–2008 by the Turkish Meteorological Service (TMS) were used. The data were provided by the TMS. To attain the aim of the study, wind patterns of midseason months representing the seasonal wind distributions were used, and surface wind formations were examined through calculation of divergent and rotational components of the average wind rate. Besides, it was aimed at explaining the relationships between sea level pressure (SLP) patterns and wind formations. The patterns of midseason months were examined via the Principal Component Analysis (PCA). In accordance with V _m data, it is seen that air flows in Turkey generally tend to orientate radially from west to east. Climatologically, the strongest prevailing winds in Turkey blow during the summer months, while the weakest winds blow during the autumn months. V _m and V _p distributions show a parallelism (i.e., wind gradient) in the months during which temperature differences between land and sea are high due to the differences in their specific heat values. The distributions of V _m and V _p values vary considerably in spring and autumn months during which temperature differences are relatively lower. According to the PCA results, the first two components represent the strong wind areas in Turkey. These components presumably explain the existence of coherent wind formation areas, which display different characteristics due to regional physical geographical factors and processes (e.g., orography, altitude, exposure, land–sea distribution, surface mechanical and thermodynamic modifications of the air masses and air flows, etc.) in addition to the direct effect of different synoptic-scale pressure and circulation conditions.     

Weights of evidence method for landslide susceptibility mapping. Prahova Subcarpathians,Romania

The goal of this paper is to assess the landslide susceptibility of a hilly area in the Subcarpathian sector of the Prahova Valley, using the weight of evidence statistical method. This method aims to reduce the multitude of landslide-related conditions to a pattern of a few discrete predictive variables. The method is based on the decision of which state is more likely to occur grounded on the presence or absence of a predictive variable and the occurrence of an event (e.g., landslide) within a pixel. Based on the chi-square test and the Pearson correlation applied on the data, the selected conditionally independent variables in this study were as follows: slope gradient, slope aspect, and land use. Weights calculated individually for the three themes were added to produce a probability estimate of the area. The predictive power of the map was tested on the basis of a split sample of landslides that were not used in the modeling process. The fact that a great percent of the declivitous surfaces are susceptible to landslides shows the dominant manner of the evolution of the Subcarpathian slopes, the acceleration or deceleration of the process being influenced by the land use.     

Petrographical and geochemical investigation of the Triassic marbles associated with Menderes massif metamorphics,Kavaklıdere,Muğla,SW Turkey

Vast marble deposits occur in a cover sequence of the Menderes Massif, SW Turkey. Four major marble deposits are recognized in Mu?la province based on the stratigraphic levels. These are Permo-Carboniferous aged black marbles (1), Triassic aged marbles (2), Upper Cretaceous aged marbles (3), and Paleocene aged pelagic marbles (4). This study deals with Triassic aged marbles of the southern part of the Menderes Massif. The Triassic marbles from SW Turkey consist of two big marble horizons in the Çayboyu (ÇM) and Kestanecik (KM) regions. The characteristic samples are collected from different stratigraphic levels in marble deposits in the ÇM and KM horizons. Mineralogical and major, trace, and rare earth element (REE) analyses of marble, limestone, and schist were conducted on these samples to reveal their petrographical and geochemical characteristics. The ÇM horizon is represented by calcitic marble layers. Nickel, cobalt, manganese, and iron elements filled in fractures, fissures, and intergranular spaces of calcite crystals and these elements give the pinky colour to the marble from the ÇM horizon. KM marbles were deformed, metamorphosed, and recrystallized under greenschist facies P–T conditions. As a result of the metasomatic reaction of magnesium and manganese rich fluids with marbles, dolomite, and manganese, minerals such as rhodochrosite and pyrolusite have crystallized along vein walls and layers in the KM horizon. Dolomitization was determined in KM marbles, whereas ÇM marbles show the character of limestone. MgO, MnO, Fe₂O₃, Ni, and Zn contents of marbles from the KM horizon are higher than those of ÇM marbles due to metasomatic reactions. The Sr content in white coloured marbles ranges between 11.20 ppm and 112.20 ppm and this concentration reaches up to 272.70 ppm due to metasomatic reactions and fluid intake. The REE content of Triassic marbles is independent of the abundance of carbonate and the REE enrichment observed due to syn-metamorphic fluid flow. The significant negative Eu anomaly in REE patterns indicates that the protoliths of Triassic marbles are carbonate rocks of sedimentary origin.     

The Geoelectrical Structure of Northwestern Anatolia,Turkey

The magnetotelluric method has been employed to generate a geoelectrical model that will reveal the rich geological pattern and dynamic character of western and northwestern Anatolia, Turkey. Magnetotelluric data were collected from 53 sites along a profile of 290 km from the Dardanelles to the Ala?ehir Graben. Magnetotelluric data were in the range of 0.00055 Hz to 320 Hz. The models were obtained through 2-D joint inversion of transverse electric and transverse magnetic modes. Lateral changes in geoelectrical models are verified by using gravity and magnetic data. In addition, some of the seismological data presented here agree with proposed models that suggest a brittle-ductile structure boundary at a depth of 20 km. Generally speaking, a regional extensional regime caused reduction in the thickness of the crust and consequent uplift towards the south. The constructed model delineates the western part of the North Anatolian Fault Zone along the Biga Peninsula. The current patterns of volcanic activity on the Biga Peninsula and at Kula are related to conductive spots presented in the models. The border of the Gördes Basin, located between the Izmir - Ankara suture zone and the Menderes Massif, is also well delineated. The North Anatolian Fault Zone presents a pattern in which density and susceptibility anomalies attain relatively high values. Fillings covering most of the surface have lower density and susceptibility values than those of underlying structures.     

Pyritized mudstone and associated facies in the Permian–Triassic boundary of the Çürük Dağ section,Southern Turkey

This paper is the first study of pyritized mudstones (PM) in the Permian–Triassic (P–T) boundary section of the Çürük Da? (Taurus, Antalya Nappes, Turkey). The mudstones were generally formed as lensoidal-shaped layers or infill materials within nodular platform limestones (hardground). Normal marine fauna is diminished in the pyritized limestones, whereas tube-like microorganisms are apparently increased with the association of pyrite crystals consisting of both framboidal and cubic crystals. The total rock volumes are up to 50–60% clay minerals and are mainly made up of in situ kaolinite and subordinate mixed layer clays (illite–vermiculite). Kaolinite preferentially developed on feldspar crystals, sometimes covering ostracoda bivalves together with gypsum micronodules composed of fan-shaped gypsum crystals. The origin of the kaolinite is, in situ, directly related to feldspar dissolution via heterotrophic bacteria. Thus, kaolinite is found along with bacterial structures. Other mineralogical compositions include established quartz (mostly β-quartz), gypsum crystals (100–200 μm) glauconite and magnetite. Magnetite grains comprise a minor amount (1–2%) and show some bacterial-induced crystal orientations. Glauconite is formed as an accessory mineral that occurs as infill material in biogenic grains. On the other hand, some microspheres represented by a silica-dominated composition are only observed in scanning electron microscopes (SEM) studies under high magnification. Isotope values (d34S) obtained from the pyritized mudstones show an isotopic heterogeneity that suggests that the pyritized mudstone consists of at least two components, with different sulphur-concentrations and d34S values.     

Properties and performance of a high volume fly ash grout

Abstract

This study investigated the penetrability of high volume fly ash cement suspensions prepared with and without superplasticizer into sandy soil having different relative densities with 30%, 60%, 73%, and 83% through permeation grouting. Class C fly ash was used due to its pozzolanic activity and fineness. Due to engineering characteristics and cost, cementitious grouts are the most commonly used grout in both waterproofing and ground strengthening. Fly ash-cement grouts have relatively constant and low viscosity values for a reasonable period after preparation, exhibit limited or negligible bleed capacity and set and develop satisfactory strength within a relatively short period. Modeling of grouting of soil was done in laboratory and improvements in physical and mechanical properties of grouted soil were analyzed. Unconfined compressive strength, shear strength and permeability characteristics of grouted soil were studied as a result. Unconfined compressive strength values of grouted sand with high volume fly ash ranged between 410 and 1107?kPa. Morover, cohesion values were comparable to microfine cement grouting ranging from 373 to 511?kPa. Furthermore, permeability values were also approximately equal to the permeability of impervious liners, which is around 1?×?10^?7?cm/s. The findings support the applicability of grouting in different applications.     

Geophysical Images of the North Anatolian Fault Zone in the Erzincan Basin, Eastern Turkey, and their Tectonic Implications

The collision between the Arabian and Eurasian plates in eastern Turkey causes the Anatolian block to move westward. The North Anatolian Fault (NAF) is a major strike-slip fault that forms the northern boundary of the Anatolian block, and the Erzincan Basin is the largest sedimentary basin on the NAF. In the last century, two large earthquakes have ruptured the NAF within the Erzincan Basin and caused major damage (M _s = 8.0 in 1939 and M _s = 6.8 in 1992). The seismic hazard in Erzincan from future earthquakes on the NAF is significant because the unconsolidated sedimentary basin can amplify the ground motion during an earthquake. The amount of amplification depends on the thickness and geometry of the basin. Geophysical constraints can be used to image basin depth and predict the amount of seismic amplification. In this study, the basin geometry and fault zone structure were investigated using broadband magnetotelluric (MT) data collected on two profiles crossing the Erzincan Basin. A total of 24 broadband MT stations were acquired with 1–2 km spacing in 2005. Inversion of the MT data with 1D, 2D and 3D algorithms showed that the maximum thickness of the unconsolidated sediments is ~3 km in the Erzincan Basin. The MT resistivity models show that the northern flanks of the basin have a steeper dip than the southern flanks, and the basin deepens towards the east where it has a depth of 3.5 km. The MT models also show that the structure of the NAF may vary from east to west along the Erzincan Basin.