Geology topics

Research about Turkey

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Turkey.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

USGS2016

Beach nourishment alternative assessment to constrain cross-shore and longshore sediment transport

A combined field and laboratory investigation was conducted to assess five options for creation of a recreational beach on a steep, armored shoreline on the eastern Black Sea coast. All designs incorporated a beach nourishment project placed between two existing, shore-normal, rubble-mound groins. Alternatives included the placement of a nearshore berm, longshore extensions added to the existing groins, and shore-parallel breakwaters. Several alternatives are reviewed for quantifying the performance of each design, including assessment of the change in shoreline position and project volume retained between the groins. Dimensionless benefits and benefit-cost ratios are quantified, and recommendations made on how to select the best outcome from a benefit-to-cost standpoint when options including hard structures are incorporated into a beach nourishment project design.

Rize↗

USGS2013

The 2011 Mw 7.1 Van (Eastern Turkey) earthquake

We use interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR), body wave seismology, satellite imagery, and field observations to constrain the fault parameters of the M w 7.1 2011 Van (Eastern Turkey) reverse-slip earthquake, in the Turkish-Iranian plateau. Distributed slip models from elastic dislocation modeling of the InSAR surface displacements from ENVISAT and COSMO-SkyMed interferograms indicate up to 9 m of reverse and oblique slip on a pair of en echelon NW 40 °–54 ° dipping fault planes which have surface extensions projecting to just 10 km north of the city of Van. The slip remained buried and is relatively deep, with a centroid depth of 14 km, and the rupture reaching only within 8–9 km of the surface, consistent with the lack of significant ground rupture. The up-dip extension of this modeled WSW striking fault plane coincides with field observations of weak ground deformation seen on the western of the two fault segments and has a dip consistent with that seen at the surface in fault gouge exposed in Quaternary sediments. No significant coseismic slip is found in the upper 8 km of the crust above the main slip patches, except for a small region on the eastern segment potentially resulting from the M w 5.9 aftershock on the same day. We perform extensive resolution tests on the data to confirm the robustness of the observed slip deficit in the shallow crust. We resolve a steep gradient in displacement at the point where the planes of the two fault segments ends are inferred to abut at depth, possibly exerting some structural control on rupture extent.

Journal of Geophysical Research↗

USGS2011

Spatiotemporal earthquake clusters along the North Anatolian fault zone offshore Istanbul

We investigate earthquakes with similar waveforms in order to characterize spatiotemporal microseismicity clusters within the North Anatolian fault zone (NAFZ) in northwest Turkey along the transition between the 1999 İzmit rupture zone and the Marmara Sea seismic gap. Earthquakes within distinct activity clusters are relocated with cross-correlation derived relative travel times using the double-difference method. The spatiotemporal distribution of microearthquakes within individual clusters is resolved with relative location accuracy comparable to or better than the source size. High-precision relative hypocenters define the geometry of individual fault patches, permitting a better understanding of fault kinematics and their role in local-scale seismotectonics along the region of interest. Temporal seismic sequences observed in the eastern Sea of Marmara region suggest progressive failure of mostly nonoverlapping areas on adjacent fault patches and systematic migration of microearthquakes within clusters during the progressive failure of neighboring fault patches. The temporal distributions of magnitudes as well as the number of events follow swarmlike behavior rather than a mainshock/aftershock pattern.

Istanbul↗

USGS2011

8 March 2010 Elazığ-Kovancilar (Turkey) Earthquake: observations on ground motions and building damage

An earthquake of M W = 6.1 occurred in the Elazığ region of eastern Turkey on 8 March 2010 at 02:32:34 UTC. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported the epicenter of the earthquake as 38.873°N-39.981°E with a focal depth of 12 km. Forty-two people lost their lives and 137 were injured during the event. The earthquake was reported to be on the left-lateral strike-slip east Anatolian fault (EAF), which is one of the two major active fault systems in Turkey. Teams from the Earthquake Engineering Research Center of the Middle East Technical University (EERC-METU) visited the earthquake area in the aftermath of the mainshock. Their reconnaissance observations were combined with interpretations of recorded ground motions for completeness. This article summarizes observations on building and ground damage in the area and provides a discussion of the recorded motions. No significant observations in terms of geotechnical engineering were made.

Seismological Research Letters↗

USGS2010

İhtimaller Hesabına Dayalı İstanbul ve Çevresindeki Deprem Tehlikesi (Seismic hazard assessment of Istanbul and its surroundings)

Bu yazının amacı, İstanbul ve yakın çevresinin maruz olduğu deprem tehlikesine dair 1999 depremlerinden bu yana devam eden tartışmalara bilimsel verilere ve hesaplara dayanan ve mümkün olduğu ölçüde kolay anlaşılır bir açıklama getirmektir. Depremlerin bir bölgede yaratabileceği tehlike, yani yerin sarsılması yüzünden yapılar üzerinde doğacak deprem etkileri, bölgenin deprem riskine, yani o bölgede olabilecek en yüksek deprem büyüklüğüne ve bölgenin zemin durumuna bağlıdır. Bu çalışmada, deprem oluşturma potansiyeline sahip aktif faylar ve son 500 yılda meydana gelmiş depremler ihtimal hesapları kullanılarak ilişkilendirilmiş ve Marmara Bölgesi’nde deprem sonucu doğacak yer hareketi şiddetinin dağılımı haritalanmıştır. Sunulan yeni deprem tehlike haritaları önceki bölgesel tehlike haritaları ile karşılaştırıldığında, Marmara Bölgesi’nde hissedilebilecek yer hareketi şiddetinde, benzer çalışmalara oranla % 10 ila % 15 arası artış görülmektedir.

Bilim ve Teknik (Science and Technology Magazine)↗

USGS2009

Microseismicity at the North Anatolian Fault in the Sea of Marmara offshore Istanbul, NW Turkey

The North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ) below the Sea of Marmara forms a “seismic gap” where a major earthquake is expected to occur in the near future. This segment of the fault lies between the 1912 Ganos and 1999 İzmit ruptures and is the only NAFZ segment that has not ruptured since 1766. To monitor the microseismic activity at the main fault branch offshore of Istanbul below the Çınarcık Basin, a permanent seismic array (PIRES) was installed on the two outermost Prince Islands, Yassiada and Sivriada, at a few kilometers distance to the fault. In addition, a temporary network of ocean bottom seismometers was deployed throughout the Çınarcık Basin. Slowness vectors are determined combining waveform cross correlation and P wave polarization. We jointly invert azimuth and traveltime observations for hypocenter determination and apply a bootstrap resampling technique to quantify the location precision. We observe seismicity rates of 20 events per month for M < 2.5 along the basin. The spatial distribution of hypocenters suggests that the two major fault branches bounding the depocenter below the Çınarcık Basin merge to one single master fault below ∼17 km depth. On the basis of a cross-correlation technique we group closely spaced earthquakes and determine composite focal mechanisms implementing recordings of surrounding permanent land stations. Fault plane solutions have a predominant right-lateral strike-slip mechanism, indicating that normal faulting along this part of the NAFZ plays a minor role. Toward the west we observe increasing components of thrust faulting. This supports the model of NW trending, dextral strike-slip motion along the northern and main branch of the NAFZ below the eastern Sea of Marmara.

Istanbul↗

USGS2009

A new species of Pentadinium from Eastern Anatolia, Turkey, Pentadinium galileoi

The new gonyaulacoid dinoflagellate Pentadinium galileoi Sancay et al., sp. nov. from the Oligocene-Lower Miocene sediments of Eastern Anatolia has been identified. It is spherical, chordate with prominant discoidal cingulum and distally furcate apical, sulcal, and antapical processes. It has a type P(3???) archeopyle, and periarcheopyle is larger than endoarcheopyle. Tabulation is distinct and it has a formula of 1pr, 3-4',6???,6c,6???', 1p,1??????, Wall structure is granular in intraplate areas, and it has gonal spines at apex, posterior intercalary, and antapex. Processes at gonal positions may be on a variably developed antapical 'skirt' formed by extended septa (2-3 ??m), minute bifurcate spines intergonally and along cingulum at plate intersections. Periphragm and endophragm appressed except at cingular area and at septa. The size of the cysts ranges between 73-89??m with an avarage of 84??m.

Micropaleontology↗

USGS2007

Airborne desert dust and aeromicrobiology over the Turkish Mediterranean coastline

Between 18 March and 27 October 2002, 220 air samples were collected on 209 of 224 calendar days, on top of a coastal atmospheric research tower in Erdemli, Turkey. The volume of air filtered for each sample was 340 liters. Two hundred fifty-seven bacterial and 2598 fungal colony forming units (CFU) were enumerated from the samples using a low-nutrient agar. Ground-based dust measurements demonstrated that the region is routinely impacted by dust generated regionally and from North Africa and that the highest combined percent recovery of total CFU and African dust deposition occurred in the month of April (93.4% of CFU recovery and 91.1% of dust deposition occurred during African dust days versus no African dust present, for that month). A statistically significant correlation was observed (peak regional African dust months of March, April and May; r s =0.576, P=0.000) between an increase in the prevalence of microorganisms recovered from atmospheric samples on dust days (regional and African as determined by ground-based dust measurements), versus that observed on non-dust days. Given the prevalence of atmospherically suspended desert dust and microorganisms observed in this study, and that culture-based studies typically only recover a small fraction (<1.0%) of the actual microbial population in any given environment, dust-borne microorganisms and other associated constituents (organic detritus, toxins, etc.) may play a significant role in the regional human and ecosystem health.

Atmospheric Environment↗

USGS2007

Enhancement of the national strong-motion network in Turkey

Two arrays comprising 20 strong-motion sensors were established in western Turkey. The 14 stations of BYTNet follow a N-S trending line about 65 km in length, normal to strands of the North Anatolian fault that runs between the cities of Bursa and Yalova. Here the dominant character of the potential fault movement is a right-lateral transform slip. The DATNet array, comprising a total of eight stations, is arranged along a 110-km-long E-W trending direction along the Menderes River valley between Denizli and Aydin. (Two stations in this array were incorporated from the existing Turkish national strong-motion network.) This is an extensional tectonic environment, and the network monitors potential large normal-faulting earthquakes on the faults in the valley.

Seismological Research Letters↗

USGS2006

Geomorphological, depositional, and foraminiferal indicators of late Quaternary tectonic uplift in Iskenderun Bay, Turkey

Iskenderun Bay is a major shallow embayment in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, where the African and Anatolian Plates converge. This tectonically active basin was investigated for oceanographic, sedimentological, geochemical, and foraminiferal parameters. On the basis of the data acquired, the distribution of living and fossil foraminifera in 284 grab and 54 gravity core samples was determined, the basin floor bathymetry of the bay constructed, radiocarbon ages of sediments and fossils ascertained, and depositional environments reconstructed. It has been discovered that for the last 13.5 k.y., water masses were stratified and sedimentation was discontinuous within the basin, which is characterized by irregular sea bottom morphology. The sedimentation rate was very slow, varying in time and space from 0 to 0.012 cm yr −1 . The foraminiferal distributions were spatially varied and discontinuous and indicate a reversal from deep to shallow marine conditions in the cores. These irregularities were attributed to active tectonics in the bay and a major tectonic uplift of the bay since the late Pleistocene.

Iskenderun Bay↗

USGS2004

Recalculated probability of M ≥ 7 earthquakes beneath the Sea of Marmara, Turkey

New earthquake probability calculations are made for the Sea of Marmara region and the city of Istanbul, providing a revised forecast and an evaluation of time-dependent interaction techniques. Calculations incorporate newly obtained bathymetric images of the North Anatolian fault beneath the Sea of Marmara [Le Pichon et al., 2001; Armijo et al., 2002]. Newly interpreted fault segmentation enables an improved regional A.D. 1500-2000 earthquake catalog and interevent model, which form the basis for time-dependent probability estimates. Calculations presented here also employ detailed models of coseismic and postseismic slip associated with the 17 August 1999 M = 7.4 Izmit earthquake to investigate effects of stress transfer on seismic hazard. Probability changes caused by the 1999 shock depend on Marmara Sea fault-stressing rates, which are calculated with a new finite element model. The combined 2004-2034 regional Poisson probability of M≥7 earthquakes is ~38%, the regional time-dependent probability is 44 ± 18%, and incorporation of stress transfer raises it to 53 ± 18%. The most important effect of adding time dependence and stress transfer to the calculations is an increase in the 30 year probability of a M ??? 7 earthquake affecting Istanbul. The 30 year Poisson probability at Istanbul is 21%, and the addition of time dependence and stress transfer raises it to 41 ± 14%. The ranges given on probability values are sensitivities of the calculations to input parameters determined by Monte Carlo analysis; 1000 calculations are made using parameters drawn at random from distributions. Sensitivities are large relative to mean probability values and enhancements caused by stress transfer, reflecting a poor understanding of large-earthquake aperiodicity.

Sea Of Marmara↗

USGS2004

Characterization of the habitat of Lythrum salicaria L. in floodplain forests in western Turkey—Effects on stem height and seed production

Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife) is an invasive wetland perennial in North America native to Eurasia. Because light environment may limit the species’ distribution, information on the relationship of forest canopy coverage to relative height and seed set in its native environment could give insight into its control in North America. This study examined the effect of various light environments related to forest canopy structure on seed set and stem height in L. salicaria in three biogeographical regions of Turkey spanning latitudes from 36 to 39° N. In Turkey, Lythrum salicaria grows in discrete patches in the canopy gaps of riverine forests, which often are dominated by Populus alba . The mean number of seeds per individual and stem height increased with decreasing canopy coverage (10437±284 to 20652±664 seeds individual −1 and 116±2 to 173±2 cm, respectively). A number of insect seed herbivores were noted on these Turkish populations, most notably a seed predator ( Nanophyes marmoratus ), which destroyed all seeds in infested capsules. Our study suggested that the light characteristics associated with canopy gaps influenced the seed set and height of L. salicaria . Other factors likely played a role, such as insect herbivores, soil fertility, and competition with other species, which may also be affected by the light levels provided at various levels of canopy coverage.

Wetlands↗

USGS2003

Paleoseismic evidence of characteristic slip on the Western segment of the North Anatolian fault, Turkey

We have conducted a paleoseismic investigation of serial fault rupture at one site along the 110-km rupture of the North Anatolian fault that produced the M w 7.4 earthquake of 17 August 1999. The benefit of using a recent rupture to compare serial ruptures lies in the fact that the location, magnitude, and slip vector of the most recent event are all very well documented. We wished to determine whether or not the previous few ruptures of the fault were similar to the recent one. We chose a site at a step-over between two major strike-slip traces, where the principal fault is a normal fault. Our two excavations across the 1999 rupture reveal fluvial sands and gravels with two colluvial wedges related to previous earthquakes. Each wedge is about 0.8 m thick. Considering the processes of collapse and subsequent diffusion that are responsible for the formation of a colluvial wedge, we suggest that the two paleoscarps were similar in height to the 1999 scarp. This similarity supports the concept of characteristic slip, at least for this location along the fault. Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dates of 16 charcoal samples are consistent with the interpretation that these two paleoscarps formed during large historical events in 1509 and 1719. If this is correct, the most recent three ruptures at the site have occurred at 210- and 280-year intervals.

North Anatolian fault↗

USGS2002

The 1999 Izmit, Turkey, earthquake: A 3D dynamic stress transfer model of intraearthquake triggering

Before the August 1999 Izmit (Kocaeli), Turkey, earthquake, theoretical studies of earthquake ruptures and geological observations had provided estimates of how far an earthquake might jump to get to a neighboring fault. Both numerical simulations and geological observations suggested that 5 km might be the upper limit if there were no transfer faults. The Izmit earthquake appears to have followed these expectations. It did not jump across any step-over wider than 5 km and was instead stopped by a narrower step-over at its eastern end and possibly by a stress shadow caused by a historic large earthquake at its western end. Our 3D spontaneous rupture simulations of the 1999 Izmit earthquake provide two new insights: (1) the west- to east-striking fault segments of this part of the North Anatolian fault are oriented so as to be low-stress faults and (2) the easternmost segment involved in the August 1999 rupture may be dipping. An interesting feature of the Izmit earthquake is that a 5-km-long gap in surface rupture and an adjacent 25° restraining bend in the fault zone did not stop the earthquake. The latter observation is a warning that significant fault bends in strike-slip faults may not arrest future earthquakes.

Izmit↗

USGS2002

Genesis of the Doğankuzu and Mortaş Bauxite deposits, Taurides, Turkey: separation of Al, Fe, and Mn and implications for passive margin metallogeny

The Taurides region of Turkey is host to a number of important bauxite, Al-rich laterite, and Mn deposits. The most important bauxite deposits, Doğankuzu and Mortaş, are karst-related, unconformity-type deposits in Upper Cretaceous limestone. The bottom contact of the bauxite ore is undulatory, and bauxite fills depressions and sinkholes in the footwall limestone, whereas its top surface is concordant with the hanging-wall limestone. The thickness of the bauxite varies from 1 to 40 m and consists of böhmite, hematite, pyrite, marcasite, anatase, diaspore, gypsum, kaolinite, and smectite. The strata-bound, sulfide- and sulfate-bearing, low-grade lower part of the bauxite ore bed contains pyrite pseudomorphs after hematite and is deep red in outcrop owing to supergene oxidation. The lower part of the bauxite body contains local intercalations of calcareous conglomerate that formed in fault-controlled depressions and sinkholes. Bauxite ore is overlain by fine-grained Fe sulfide-bearing and calcareous claystone and argillaceous limestone, which are in turn overlain by massive, compact limestone of Santonian age. That 50-m-thick limestone is in turn overlain by well-bedded bioclastic limestone of Campanian or Maastrichtian age, rich with rudist fossils. Fracture fillings in the bauxite orebody are up to 1 m thick and consist of bluish-gray-green pyrite and marcasite (20%) with böhmite, diaspore, and anatase. These sulfide veins crosscut and offset the strata-bound sulfide zones. Sulfur for the sulfides was derived from the bacterial reduction of seawater sulfate, and Fe was derived from alteration of oxides in the bauxite. Iron sulfides do not occur within either the immediately underlying or overlying limestone. The platform limestone and shale that host the bauxite deposits formed at a passive margin of the Tethys Ocean. Extensive vegetation developed on land as the result of a humid climate, thereby creating thick and acidic soils and enhancing the transport of large amounts of organic matter to the ocean. Alteration of the organic matter provided CO 2 that contributed to formation of a relatively 12 C-rich marine footwall limestone. Relative sea-level fall resulted from strike-slip faulting associated with closure of the ocean and local uplift of the passive margin. That uplift resulted in karstification and bauxite formation in topographic lows, as represented by the Doğankuzu and Mortaş deposits. During stage 1 of bauxite formation, Al, Fe, Mn, and Ti were mobilized from deeply weathered aluminosilicate parent rock under acidic conditions and accumulated as hydroxides at the limestone surface owing to an increase in pH. During stage 2, Al, Fe, and Ti oxides and clays from the incipient bauxite (bauxitic soil) were transported as detrital phases and accumulated in the fault-controlled depressions and sinkholes. During stage 3, the bauxitic material was concentrated by repeated desilicification, which resulted in the transport of Si and Mn to the ocean through a well-developed karst drainage system. The transported Mn was deposited in offshore muds as Mn carbonates. The sulfides also formed in stage 3 during early diagenesis. Transgression into the foreland basin resulted from shortening of the ocean basin and nappe emplacement during the latest Cretaceous. During that time bioclastic limestone was deposited on the nappe ramp, which overlapped bauxite accumulation.

Taurides Region↗

USGS2001

Elastic rebound following the Kocaeli earthquake, Turkey, recorded using synthetic aperture radar interferometry

A basic model incorporating satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) interferometry of the fault rupture zone that formed during the Kocaeli earthquake of August 17, 1999, documents the elastic rebound that resulted from the concomitant elastic strain release along the North Anatolian fault. For pure strike-slip faults, the elastic rebound function derived from SAR interferometry is directly invertible from the distribution of elastic strain on the fault at criticality, just before the critical shear stress was exceeded and the fault ruptured. The Kocaeli earthquake, which was accompanied by as much as ∼5 m of surface displacement, distributed strain ∼110 km around the fault prior to faulting, although most of it was concentrated in a narrower and asymmetric 10-km-wide zone on either side of the fault. The use of SAR interferometry to document the distribution of elastic strain at the critical condition for faulting is clearly a valuable tool, both for scientific investigation and for the effective management of earthquake hazard.

Geology↗

USGS2001

Main shock and aftershock records of the 1999 Izmit and Duzce, Turkey earthquakes

The August 17, 1999 Izmit (Turkey) earthquake (M w =7.4) will be remembered as one of the largest earthquakes of recent times that affected a large urban environment (U.S. Geological Survey, 1999). This significant event was followed by many significant aftershocks and another main event (M w =7.2) that occurred on November 12, 1999 near Duzce (Turkey). The shaking that caused the widespread damage and destruction was recorded by a handful of accelerographs (~30) in the earthquake area operated by different networks. The characteristics of these records show that the recorded peak accelerations, shown in Figure 1, even those from near field stations, are smaller than expected (Çelebi, 1999, 2000). Following this main event, several organizations from Turkey, Japan, France and the USA deployed temporary accelerographs and other aftershock recording hardware. Thus, the number of recording stations in the earthquake affected area was quadrupled (~130). As a result, as seen in Figure 2, smaller magnitude aftershocks yielded larger peak accelerations, indicating that because of the sparse networks, recording of larger motions during the main shock of August 17, 1999 were possibly missed.

Duzce↗

USGS2001

Engineering implications of ground motions from the 1999 Turkey earthquakes

The August 17, 1999 Izmit (Turkey) earthquake ( M w =7.4) will be remembered as one of the largest earthquakes of recent times that affected a large urban environment. The shaking that caused the widespread damage and destruction was recorded by a handful of accelerographs operated by different networks in the earthquake area. As rebuilding in Turkey starts and picks up speed, the recorded ground motions that adversely affected the built-up environment are being studied intensively to explain the past disaster and for the implications for future earthquakes. New forecasts of future large earthquakes in the ever growing urban environment of Istanbul and its vicinities necessitates better preparation and extensive planning to upgrade and retrofit existing infrastructures. To successfully execute these endeavors, it is imperative to have better defined ground motion characteristics. This paper aims at discussing the issues related to the engineering implications of the recorded ground motions. The main shock records show that the peak accelerations, even those from near-field stations that exhibit the characteristic near-fault pulses that cause large displacements, are smaller than expected. On the other hand, smaller magnitude aftershocks yielded larger peak accelerations. This is attributed to the sparse networks, which possibly missed the recording of larger motions during the main shock - particularly in the heavily damaged areas of South Izmit Bay. Aftershocks recorded at such areas are used to estimate the missed main shock ground motions. Accordingly, the estimated motions in South Izmit Bay are approximately 1 g highly polarized in N-S direction. These attributes have significant engineering implications to be considered during the rebuilding phase and beyond.

Bollettino di Geofisica Teorica ed Applicata↗