NEOTECTONIC-PERIOD CHARACTERISTICS, SEISMICITY, GEOMETRY AND SEGMENTATION OF THE TUZ GÖLÜ FAULT ZONE

The Tuz Gölü Fault Zone (TGFZ) is one of the most important active intra-continental fault zones in central Anatolia. The TGFZ with nearly 200 km in length and 2-25 km in width is a NW trending, active normal fault zone with minor right-lateral strike-slip component. It extends between the north of Lake Tuz at NW and at Kemerhisar (Ni¤de) SE. This zone is a transition zone that separates the Central Anatolian Neotectonic Region into two-sub neotectonic regions, namely Kayseri-Sivas and Konya-Eski?ehir neotectonic regions. In this study, Neotectonic-period characteristics, seismicity, geometry and segmentation of TGFZ are investigated. TGFZ is composed of a total of eleven parallel or sub-parallel geometric fault segments with length ranging from 9 to 30 km. In calculations based on empirical equations proposed for normal faults, TGFZ segments are found to generate earthquakes with maximum magnitudes of M=6.11-6.80 and during these earthquakes vertical displacements will be 0.34-1.41 m at maximum with average of 0.25-0.68 m. Fault kinematic analysis studies conducted on TGFZ showed that a NE-SW trending extensional tectonic regime is effective in the region. According to structural observations, stratigraphic relations and age data, neotectonic period for TGFZ started early Pliocene. TGFZ is a structure of NE-SW trending extensional tectonic regime that was activated by the early Pliocene. This structure borders the recent Tuz Gölü Plio-Quaternary basin to the east. By the early Pliocene, total normal slip is found 200-268 m. Based on geologic age and slip amount, average annual slip-rate on TGFZ is 0.046 mm.