Facial and Microfacial Properties of the Karaisalı Formation (Adana Basin-Turkey)

Abstract

This study aims to investigate facies and microfacial properties of the Karaisalı Formation (BurdigalianAkitanian) cropping out in the northern and northwestern parts of the Neogene aged Adana Basin. The Karaisalı Formation is mostly composed of white-cream coloured massive reefal limestones with alga, coral, gastropod, lamellibranch, and echinoid. In the study area, three facies and nine microfacies have been delineated based on geometry, lithology and fossil content. These facies and microfacies represent: reef core (1- coralline framestone microfacies, 2- red algal- coralline bindstone/framestone microfacies, 3- foraminiferal- algal fragment bearing packstone/wackestone); reef front (4- large benthic foraminiferal- algal packstone microfacies, 5- Operculina packstone microfacies); back reef (6- small benthic foraminiferal-algal packstone microfacies, 7- small benthic foraminiferal- algal wackestone microfacies, 8- bioclastic wackestone- mudstone microfacies, 9- local red algal bindstone microfacies) environments.