THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ELDIVAN-ELMADAG PINCHED CRUSTAL WEDGE AND NORTH ANATOLIAN FAULT ZONE: AN APPROACH TO THE AGE OF CENTRAL NORTH ANATOLIAN FAULT ZONE

Recently determined, NNE-SSW trending Eldivan-Elmadag Pinched Crustal Wedge (EPCW) has thrusted eastern and normal faulted western margins. This neotectonic structure is created due to NW-SE compression created between North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ) and Kirikkale-Erbaa Fault Zone (KEFZ). In the north of Cankiri, the EPCW has arc shape geometry and its trend changing to NE-SW and further to east it becomes ENE-WSW that is nearly parallel to NAFZ. In the north of Cankiri, the Korgun fault constituting western margin of EPCW is clearly a normal fault evidenced by undulated fault surfaces. The eastern margin of EPCW has complex thrust faults. The both margins control deposition of Pliocene-Pleistocene clastic Deyim Formation. The arc shaped connection of EPCW to the NAFZ, the strain analysis of GPS data and focal mechanism solutions of micro-earthquakes demonstrate a genetic link between EPCW and NAFZ. Ilgaz and Tosya basins located in the NAFZ contain upper Miocene – Pliocene basin fill in which syn-sedimentary normal faults are observed. The strikes of these normal faults are incompatible with right lateral NAFZ. Therefore, it can be speculated that development of these basins was not related to NAFZ and its initiation must be post Pliocene which is also in agreement with the activation age of EPCW.