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Crustal Structure of Turkey from Aeromagnetic, Gravity and Deep Seismic Reflection Data

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Abstract

In this paper, aeromagnetic and gravity anomalies obtained from the General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration were subjected to upward continuation to 3 km from the ground surface to suppress shallow effects and to expose only regional, deep sources. Then, a reduction to pole (RTP) map of aeromagnetic anomalies was produced from the 3 km upward continued data. A sinuous boundary to the south of Turkey is observed in the RTP map that may indicate the suture zone between the Anatolides and African/Arabian Plates in the closure time of the Tethys Ocean. The sinuous boundary can be correlated with the recent palaeo-tectonic maps. The southern part of the sinuous boundary is quite different and less magnetic in comparison with the northern block. In addition, maxspots maps of the aeromagnetic and gravity anomalies were produced to find out and enhance the boundaries of tectonic units. Crustal thickness, recently calculated and mapped for the western Turkey, is also extended to the whole of Turkey, and the crustal thicknesses are correlated with the previous seismological findings and deep seismic sections. The average crustal thickness calculations using the gravity data are about 28 km along the coastal regions and increase up to 42 km through the Iranian border in the east of Turkey. Density and susceptibility values used as parameters for construction of two-dimensional (2D) gravity and magnetic models were compiled in a table from different localities of Turkey. 2D models indicate that all of the anomalous masses are located in the upper crust, and this could be well correlated with the earthquakes which occurred at shallow depths.

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Acknowledgments

Authors are grateful to the General Directorate of Mining Research and Exploration of Turkey for the provision of gridded aeromagnetic and gravity data that were used for a Turkish Scientific Research Council (TUBITAK) and European Scientific Exchange Program (ESEP) during 1997. Our kindest thanks go to Prof. Karsten M. Storetvedt and Dr. M. Nuri Dolmaz for their comprehensive and delicate review of this paper. We also thank Prof. Rycroft for the editorial handling of our paper. Reduction to the Pole transformation map was produced by using GEOSOFT-OASIS software. Seismic sections used in this study were provided by the General Directorate of Petroleum Affairs for a Cumhuriyet University Scientific Research Project (Project No: CUBAP M-394). This research was also granted and supported by TUBITAK (Project No: 107Y288).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geophysical Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Ankara University, Besevler, 06100, Ankara, Turkey

    Abdullah Ates

  2. Department of Geophysical Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Cumhuriyet University, 58140, Sivas, Turkey

    Funda Bilim & Ozcan Bektas

  3. Department of Geophysical Engineering, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, 17100, Canakkale, Turkey

    Aydin Buyuksarac

  4. Turkish Petroleum Corp., Sogutozu Mah., 2180. Cad., No: 86, Sogutozu, 06100, Ankara, Turkey

    Attila Aydemir

  5. Geological Engineering Department, Engineering Faculty, Fırat University, 23119, Elazig, Turkey

    Yasemin Aslan

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  1. Abdullah Ates
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Correspondence to Attila Aydemir.

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Ates, A., Bilim, F., Buyuksarac, A. et al. Crustal Structure of Turkey from Aeromagnetic, Gravity and Deep Seismic Reflection Data. Surv Geophys 33, 869–885 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10712-012-9195-x

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