Quaternary Tectonics as the Neotectonics in Turkey

Abstract

The base of the Quaternary was formally redefined in 2009 by the International Commision on Stratigraphy at 2.6 Ma by shifting a 800 ka, formerly part of the Pliocene epoch, into the Pleistocene. It has made tremendous impression in literature. The Quaternary period is unique because of its climatic characteristics; however, it is a geochronological unit, and a redefinition of its position would affect many areas, such as the definition of neotectonic period in Turkey. The major tectonic elements of the Eastern Mediterranean region are located in there. Recent studies related to neotectonics in Turkey present a consensus on the driving mechanism and age of this tectonic period: the late Pliocene (before the formal adding of Gelasian stage into the Quaternary period) westward escape of the Anatolian plate. Following the collision of the Arabian and Eurasian plates at ~11 Ma BP, the North Anatolian Fault Zone created in the east and the escape tectonics could not occur until the propagation of the North Anatolian Fault Zone to the Aegean Arc at ~2.5 Ma BP and gaining a transform fault character with a similar slip rate as in today. The spatial distribution of active faults in Turkey also supports such an approach. The great majority of them have no relations with the pre-Quaternary formations, on the other hand are bounding the Quaternary basins. In this study, the neotectonics of Turkey discussed within the view of the redefined Quaternary. The comparison suggests the using of the term Quaternary tectonics substantially coincides with neotectonics in literature for Turkey, because the base level of this period in this region overlaps with the redefined base level of the Quaternary period.