Geology of the Central Sivas Basin (Turkey)

Abstract

This paper presents a revised geological map at the 1/50,000 scale of the Central Sivas Basin together with a synthetic stratigraphic chart and cross-sections. The map covers an area of approximately 9840 km (2) within the Eastern Anatolian orogen. The structure of the studied area is dominated by three major tectonic domains: (i) to the south, a north-verging thrust wedge involving Maastrichtian -Eocene sediments deposited onto an ophiolitic basement, (ii) in the center an Oligo-Miocene domain shaped by salt tectonics detached above the thrust wedge, along a late Eocene salt layer, and, (iii) to the north the Pliocene depocenter onlapping onto the Kirsehir basement. The central halokinetic domain exhibits two generations of minibasins (respectively, early Oligocene and late Oligocene to late Miocene), separated by an evaporite canopy. The map includes new stratigraphic correlations for the pre-salt stratigraphy and improve the comprehension of the southern fold-and-thrust-belt.