Pre-Neogene Stratigraphy of The Karaburun Peninsula (W of İzmir Turkey)

Abstract

Pre-Neogene rock units in Karaburun Peninsula are represented by a relatively autochthonous succession of Paleozoic-Mesozoic age and various tectonostratigraphic allochthonous units. Küçükbahçe Formation forms the lowermost Paleozoic unit of the "autochthonous" succession and is made up of Cambro? – Ordovician detritic rocks in turbiditic nature. It is overlained by Silurian-Carboniferous aged Dikendağı formation with a graditional contact which is characterized by abundant chert lydite content and Visean-Bashkirian aged Alandere formation which is represented by detritic and carbonate rocks. These units are cut by Karaburun granodiorite of Early Triassic age. The Paleozoic basement is unconformably overlained by a Mesozoic aged succession which commences with the Gerence formation consisting of conglomerate and/or Naticella bearing sediments of "vermicular facies" of Scythian age and the succession continues with carbonate dominant detritic deep marine sediments of Anisian age. Toward the end of Anisian, this units first grade into mainly the red micritic carbonates of the "ammonitico rosso facies" and then grade into the neritic carbonates of Camiboğazı formation of Early Ladinian age. The Camiboğazı Formation is gradationally overlained by Megalodon bearing Güvercinlik formation of Carnian-Rhaetian age consisting of stromatolitic dolomite, sandstone, mudstone and iron/bauxite pisolite bearing conglomerates. The succession continues with Nohutalan formation which consists of neritic carbonates with Paleodasycladus and Cladocoropsis. It is unconformably overlained by the Albian-Aptian aged Aktepe formation fossils. After a probable hiatus, Campanian-Maastrichtian aged Balıklıova formation unconformably covers the former units. Balıklıova formation consists of Karahasan limestone member of shallow marine limestones in the lower, and pelagic limestones-marls in the middle, and Haneybaşı member of sandstone-mudstone alternation of flysch facies in its upper levels. Tekedağı formation, Idecik unit, Izmir flysch and Yeniliman serpentinite are tectonically related with relatively autochthonous Paleozoic and Mesozoic rock units. (Late?) Permian aged Tekedağı formation is made up of detritic sediments and bioclastic limestones. Ladinian-(Early) Carnian/(Norian?) aged Idecik unit is made up of detritic sediments and spilitic lavas. Campanian-Early Tertiary (Danian?) aged Izmir flysch is a blocky flysch. All of these units are unconformably overlained by various rock units of Neogene and Quarternary age.