TECTONO - SEDIMENTARY EVOLUTION OF BUCAKKIŞLA REGION (SW KARAMAN) IN CENTRAL TAURIDES

Abstract

The study area located in Bucakkıflla region in Central Taurides consists of rock units of the melange which form Bozkır unit of the Tauride units and the overlying cover rocks. There are volcanic, ophiolitic and sedimentary rocks which generated in different environmental conditions. These rock groups comprise units which formed in MiddleUpper Triassic-Paleocene periods in Inner Tauride Ocean that had been opened between Tauride – Anatolide continents. Within the scope of this study, lithostratigraphic characteristics of Hu¤lu, Boyalı hill, Korualan nappes and cover rocks which form Bozkır Unit and tectono sedimentary evolution of the study area was built up by paleontological and structural features. Due to rifting, which started in Middle Upper Triassicin the region, the products of the rift volcanism in rifting center and the carbonate deposition on margins of basin have occurred. The continuation of extension which initiated rifting caused collapse in the basin in Middle Upper Triasic – Lower Senonian. Deep marine deposition has occurred at the center of basin, however pelagic and neritic limestones were deposited in basin margins during this time. The region has become compressed by the effect of a new tectonical regime which had been effective starting from Santonian. This compression caused new melanges to take place due to reverse faults and thrust. The formation of these melanges has continued until the end of Paleocene period. However, there has not been observed any formation depending on the compression in post Paleocene. The nappes have moved southward by the effect of compression until Eocene. But then, these nappes could not advance forward anymore so, northward back thrusts took place as basin was closured andreached the collisional stage. Sequences which had become imbricated structures by back thrusts were subjected to collapsing by the stop of compression and the gravitational effect. All sequences in the imbricated structure were cut by dip slip normal faults and lacustrine basins were formed on fallen blocks. The formation of Early Oligocene terrestrial deposits in these lakes indicates that the collapse occurred in Oligocene or immediately before this time, and this allows the dating of new tectonical period. Early Oligocene deposits to become tilted by dip slip faults show that new tectonic period in the region has also continued after Oligocene.