Relationship between Akhüyük fissure ridge travertines and active tectonics: their neotecteonic significance (Ereğli-Konya, Central Anatolia)

Abstract

The Akhuyuk travertine mass crops out approximately 10 km to the north of Eregli (Konya, Central Anatolia). Its morphology and relationship with the main controlling fault zones are investigated. The morhpological properties of six different fissure ridge travertines which make up the travertine mass are classified into four groups based on their geometrical properties and orientation. The fissure ridge travertines having a banded travertine thickness of 120 and 170 cm are considered as the oldest travertines in the study area. Sill-like structures and dilation are observed, indicative of the ongoing deformation after travertine precipitation. The height-to-width ratio of the fissure ridge travertines vary between 0.08 and 0.5. The morhological structures and parameters observed in the fissure ridge travertines are interpreted to stem from the low deformation rate in the study area. The relationship of the formation of the Akhuyuk Fissure Ridge travertine with the Tuz Golu (TGFZ) and Nigde fault zones (NFZ) is investigated. The TGFZ is determined to be the most significant structure that controls the Akhuyuk fissure ridge travertines based on the extension direction determined, the location of the travertines, and the fact that the faults on the central and southeastern end of the TGFZ display the active normal fault zone with a right-lateral strike-slip component.