Geological Evolution and Basin Models During Neotectonic Episode in the Eastern Anatolia

Abstract

In the Eastern Anatolia, neotectonic regime beginning in Middle Miocene has considerably affected the geological evolution of the region. During the neotectonic episode, compressional tectonic regime, characteristic for the region, resulted in formation of folds, thrust and strike-slip faults, and large-scale extentional fractures. Under the control of all these structural elements, basically two types of basins (intermountain and pull-apart) are formed. Among these, Muş, Ahlat-Adilcevaz and Karayazı-Tekman basins are the intermountain basins. Kağızman-Tuzluca basin, however, has been evolved as a pull-apart type. The Erzurum-Pasinler-Horasan is another type of intermountain basin which was also affected by strike-slip faults. The general features of the new episode deposits are to be in nonmarine facies and with the coeval volcanites their accumulation in separate basins.