Neogene to recent tectonics and block rotations in the Aegean and Anatolia (Turkey)

摘要

The Aegean and Anatolian (Turkey) region, located in Alpine-Himalayan collisional belt, is sited in the collision zone between the Eurasian and Afro-Arabian plates and forms a key area for a better understanding of the geological processes and evolution of continental collision zones in general. The Neogene to active tectonics of this region records post-collisional deformation subsequent to subduction, collision and final demise of the Neotethyan ocean and is outlined by three major structures: (i) the Aegean-Cyprian subduction zone along which the African plate is subducting north-northeast-wards beneath the Anatolian plate; (ii) dextral North Anatolian fau and (iii) sinistral East Anatolian fault. In addition, the sinistral Dead Sea fault also plays an important role in active deformation of the region. The complex and colourful geology of the area has formed the subject of intense multidisciplinary research over the last couple of decades. This research has been mainly concentrated on the evolution of the Tethyan oceans, subduction roll-back processes along the Aegean subduction zone and back-arc extension, exhumation of lower-middle crustal rocks (core complexes) and coeval basin formation, extensional tectonics-normal faulting-graben formation, strike-slip faulting and extrusion tectonics.