Paleomagnetic constraints on the tectonic evolution of the Sakarya Continent, northwestern Anatolia
Abstract
Thirteen sites were sampled in northwestern Anatolia in order to gather paleomagnetic information concerning the tectonic evolution of this region through Jurassic to Early Tertiary time, an interval encompassing much of the history of the Neo-Tethys in this area. Specifically, information concerning the history and behaviour of a crustal block, the Sakarya Continent, was sought in order to place some constraints on geologic models that have been proposed for the region. Four Jurassic sites are believed to exhibit early magnetization signatures that yield similar paleolatitudes for all sites. These results, when compared with paleolatitude information for Eurasia, suggest that Sakarya lay in close proximity to the southern Eurasian margin at least during the Jurassic part of its history. Significantly different declinations from the same four sites are interpreted to reflect the deformation of Sakarya when it docked with Eurasia during the Early Tertiary. These rotations are not attributed to motions of the North Anatolian Fault since results from three Paleocene sites in the same area show no evidence of significant rotation with respect to Eurasia.
- Publication:
-
Tectonophysics
- Pub Date:
- October 1990
- DOI:
- 10.1016/0040-1951(90)90172-5
- Bibcode:
- 1990Tectp.182..357E