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Alpine-Himalayan Orogens |
, Konur sokak 44/11, Ankara, Yeni
ehir, Turkey
The orogenic mountain ranges, which cover the whole width of Turkey, constitute the westerly continuation of the Alborz, of the Central Iranian zone and of the northern part of the Zagros. It is thus a highly complex belt in plan, with a tendency for the more severe of the Mesozoic-Tertiary movements to migrate southwards in time, and includes rocks previously deformed in the Hercynian and Caledonian orogenies.
The north margin of the orogen is indefinite north of Turkey, where it passes through the Black Sea, but is seen to the east and west in Transcaucasia and Bulgaria. The south margin is formed by the broadly gradational passage into the shelf zone of the Arabian Shield. The exposed width of the orogen in Turkey varies from 380 to 700 km, but where both margins are exposed (e.g. 41° to 43°) it averages 550 km.
Segment: that part of Turkey between 38° and 44° E. It has a length, measured along strike, of 350 km.
Zones: within the segment five structural zones are recognized. From north to south these are—zone 1 the ‘Pontids’, 2 the ‘Anatolids’, 3 the ‘Taurids’, and 4 the ‘Border Folds’. A fifth zone is utilized to compile information on the distinct areas of epeirogenic basins and Neogene to Recent vulcanism which are scattered across the four main zones.
History: the ‘basement’ rocks of eastern Turkey were deformed during Caledonian and Hercynian orogenies, details of which are poorly known. Permian to early Alpine movements (clastic deposits and volcanic rocks).
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