NEOTECTONIC-PERIOD CHARACTERISTICS, SEISMICITY, GEOMETRY AND SEGMENTATION OF THE TUZ GÖLÜ FAULT ZONE

Authors : Akın KÜRÇER, Yaşar Ergun GÖKTEN

Pages : 19-68

Doi:10.19111/bmre.94099

View : 27 | Download : 11

Publication Date : 2014-12-01

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The Tuz Gölü Fault Zone (TGFZ) is one of the most important active intra-continental faultzones in central Anatolia. The TGFZ with nearly 200 km in length and 2-25 km in width is a NWtrending, active normal fault zone with minor right-lateral strike-slip component. It extendsbetween the north of Lake Tuz at NW and at Kemerhisar (Ni¤de) SE. This zone is a transitionzone that separates the Central Anatolian Neotectonic Region into two-sub neotectonic regions,namely Kayseri-Sivas and Konya-Eskiflehir neotectonic regions. In this study, Neotectonicperiod characteristics, seismicity, geometry and segmentation of TGFZ are investigated. TGFZis composed of a total of eleven parallel or sub-parallel geometric fault segments with lengthranging from 9 to 30 km. In calculations based on empirical equations proposed for normalfaults, TGFZ segments are found to generate earthquakes with maximum magnitudes ofM=6.11-6.80 and during these earthquakes vertical displacements will be 0.34-1.41 m atmaximum with average of 0.25-0.68 m. Fault kinematic analysis studies conducted on TGFZshowed that a NE-SW trending extensional tectonic regime is effective in the region. Accordingto structural observations, stratigraphic relations and age data, neotectonic period for TGFZstarted early Pliocene. TGFZ is a structure of NE-SW trending extensional tectonic regime thatwas activated by the early Pliocene. This structure borders the recent Tuz Gölü Plio-Quaternarybasin to the east. By the early Pliocene, total normal slip is found 200-268 m. Based on geologicage and slip amount, average annual slip-rate on TGFZ is 0.046 mm.1. Girifl
Keywords : Tuz Gölü Fault Zone, Anatolia, Neotectonic, segment, seismicity