Neogene Restoration of Geometry of the Neotethyan suture zone in Central
Anatolia (Turkey)
Abstract
The demise and closure of the Neotethyan Ocean gave way to the collision
and finally amalgamation of various continental fragments in Turkey
along the Izmir-Ankara-Erzincan and Intra-Tauride suture zones. These
continental fragments include Pontides in the north and Menderes-Tauride
, and Kırşehir Block in the south. This study aims to the restoration of
these suture zones in central Anatolia using paleomagnetic tools during
Neogene. Most of the paleomagnetic studies carried out in the region
consider the deformation of Anatolian Block as a monolithic block
rotated counter-clockwise due to escape tectonics since the Miocene. We
introduce new paleomagnetic evidence obtained from Neogene sedimentary
successions and few volcanic suits. Our results point out five distinct
tectonic domains with distinct rotation patterns that indicate the
rotational deformation of Central Anatolia is far more complex than
generally presumed. Among these, 1) Kırıkkale-Bala Domain (KB) is
rotated ~18° clockwise, 2) the Tuz Gölü Domain (TG)
underwent ~15° counter-clockwise rotation, 3) the
Alcı-Orhaniye Domain (AO) rotated ~25° counter-clockwise
sense, 4) the Haymana Basin is divided into two different domains, (4)
the Northern Haymana Domain (NHY) underwent ~17°
counter-clockwise rotation while (5) the Southern Haymana Domain (SHY)
underwent barely no net rotation (~5° clockwise) since
the early Miocene. The Kırşehir Block was proposed to be an NNE-SSW
striking tectonic block that broken into three fragments. These
fragments underwent clockwise, in the north, and counterclockwise
rotations in the south, respectively, during early Tertiary due to
collision and N-S shortening of the Kırşehir Block between Taurides and
the Pontides.