Analysis of EzinepazarA +/--Sungurlu Fault Zone (Turkey) using Landsat TM data and its kinematic implications

Abstract

The study area is located between Corum and Amasya along the EzinepazarA +/--Sungurlu Fault Zone (ESFZ) which is regarded as the splay of the North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ). By this study, the 1/25,000 scaled geological map of the study area was prepared, and its stratigraphic and tectonic characteristics were unraveled as a result of palaeontological and petrographical analyses of the samples collected from different rock units. Particularly, geologic ages of the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous Ferhatkaya and Carcurum and Middle Eocene Cekerek formations were provided from palaeontological determinations. Using Landsat TM and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission 3 (SRTM 3) data of the region, the borders between the rock units and the tectonic characteristics in the study area were clarified by spectral and spatial enhancement methods. Kinematic characteristics of ESFZ obtained from the young sedimentary rocks along both sides of the fault zone were also inferred in this study. Understanding the kinematic and geometrical characteristics of the faults is important in terms of the seismotectonics of the region. In the statistical study conducted on the basis of the directions of the lineaments indicates the highest concentrations in general between N 50A degrees - 60A degrees E and N 60A degrees - 70A degrees E. Band 7 of the study area was enlightened in SE direction taking into consideration the relation of the geologic structures in the region with NAFZ and ESFZ and their general strike directions. Along with the formation of NAFZ, the region has undergone a counterclockwise rotation of approximately 20A degrees-30A degrees, which has developed between the "splay" faults in the south block of that fault. These faults are strike-slip faults formed under the compressional regime roughly in a NW-SE direction. It is noted that this tectonic regime has developed under compression in NW-SE direction, which was dominant in similar kinematic analysis studies conducted on NAFZ.