Coeval extension and compression in Late Mesozoic–Recent thin-skinned extensional tectonics in central Anatolia, Turkey

摘要: Abstract The central Anatolian crust is composed of high-grade metamorphic rocks covered by Tertiary shallow marine to continental sedimentary rocks, with a Middle Miocene-Recent volcanic activity in Cappadocia. After the Late Cretaceous closure Tethyan Ocean and following plate collision, core complexes formed Nigde Kirsehir regions Anatolia. Recent geophysical studies indicate presence low seismic velocity zones beneath Anatolia, interpreted as regionally thinned and/or hot mantle lithosphere, or asthenospheric upwelling. We present new structural data covering ∼300 km WSW–NNE trending transect between Konya Yozgat cities suggest that Cenozoic tectonic regime extensional narrow fold/thrust once taken evidence crustal convergence resulted from gravitational movements. Curie point depths map Anatolia shows large-scale (diameter >140 km) upwarping (c. 15 km) regional we interpret due These considerations (1) deforms extension. Transcurrent faults like Central Fault Zone accommodate stretching transfer faulting; (2) post-Late extension favored placement density material Cappadocia processes may be explained Rayleigh–Taylor instability phenomenon; (3) In large post-Eocene horizontal displacements (we estimate minimum 50 km) are not achieved contraction previously proposed but thin-skin tectonics (4) suture lines need reviewed since their traces modified later displacements.