SEISMOTECTONICS AND GEOLOGY OF THE AREA AROUND THE ANCIENT CITY OF TROY, NORTHWESTERN ANATOLIA

The present day kinematics of the Anatolian – Aegean system are well constrained by GPS and SLR measurements, which indicate that the Anatolian plate bounded by the North Anatolian Transform Fault zone and the East Anatolian Transform Fault zone is moving westward. This motion is accommodated by north-south extension in the western Anatolia which produced about 10 grabens.

The North Anatolian Transform Fault splays into branches in northwestern Anatolia. This region has therefore strong background seismicity. The ancient city of Troy locating between the two major fault zones is only about 50 km far from them. These major faults have produced numerous earthquakes in the past. Periodicity of the earthquakes greater than magnitude 6 may be estimated to be about 110 y. These earthquakes of this magnitude has apparently have caused severe damages in Troy.

The N-S extension in the Aegean is one of the greatest, measured from continental areas of the world. Due to this extension the Kazdað, located to the south of Troy, has been uplifted with average rate of about 30mm/y. Such a rate of uplift, coupled with the back-tilting of the normal fault-bounding blocks, which diverted major drainage toward north caused large alluvial fans deposited in the Troy area. This filled rapidly the previously sea – occupied areas, and gradually dissected its direct connection with the sea realm.