U-Th ages and facies properties of edremit travertines and Tufas, Van, Eastern Anatolia: Implications for the neotectonics of the region
Journal
Geological Quarterly
Journal Volume
65
Journal Issue
2
Date Issued
2021
Author(s)
Abstract
Travertine formation is one of the most important archives of active tectonics in a region and provides information about cli-mate, water temperature and quantity, and biological activity. The Edremit travertines and tufas extend over nearly160 km2 within the boundaries of the Edremit area to the east of Lake Van (eastern Turkey), and yield important evidence towards un-derstanding the neotectonics of the region. The Edremit travertines and tufas were studied throughout their full stratigraphic extent, the factors controlling the formation of these deposits were examined, and the succession was sampled for U/Th analysis. Travertine formation was found to occur from 542–29.7 ka, with two different tufa formation periods: from 29.7–5.8 ka and 5.8–2.08 ka. Pauses in travertine formation (palaeosols) were identified from 510–470 ka, 289–269 ka and 91–34 ka. Our study showed that climate parameters affected the formation of tufa, while the Edremit travertines developed under the control of tectonism. The Van Fault is directly associated with travertine development and its age was identified as 542 ka or older. Since the G?rp?nar Fault, one of the most important faults in the region, is effective in shaping the southern slope of the travertines and limiting the movement of the Van Fault, its age should be younger than 542.4 ka. The Elmal?k Fault played an active role in the formation of the Edremit tufas and is proposed to be 29.7 ka in age, from stratigraphic relationships in the region. ? 2021, Polish Geological Institute. All rights reserved.
Subjects
Growth rate
Lake Van
Palaeosol
Travertine facies
Tufa
Van Fault
age determination
fault zone
neotectonics
paleosol
travertine
tufa
uranium-lead dating
Turkey
Meleagris gallopavo
Type
journal article