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Source to Sink in the Easternmost Mediterranean: Insights from the Provenance of Oligo-Miocene Turbidites in the South Turkish Basins
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  • Guohui Chen,
  • Alastair Robertson,
  • Osman Parlak,
  • Fu-Yuan Wu
Guohui Chen
State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Corresponding Author:guohui.chen@live.cn

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Alastair Robertson
University of Edinburgh, University of Edinburgh, University of Edinburgh, University of Edinburgh
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Osman Parlak
Çukurova Üniversitesi, Çukurova Üniversitesi, Çukurova Üniversitesi, Çukurova Üniversitesi
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Fu-Yuan Wu
State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
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Abstract

South Turkish Neogene basins record post-collisional exhumation/erosion of Neotethyan basins. Facies and paleocurrent data indicate general northerly derivation of siliciclastic sediments. Provenance is further indicated by integrated detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology (29 samples; 2748 grains) of 7 mapped late Oligocene-Miocene basins (from E-W): 1. Hatay, 2. K.Maraş, 3. Adana, 4. Misis, 5. Mut, 6. Manavgat and 7. Kopru. 1-4 and 6-7 represent two separate tectonically active depocenters, whereas 5 was a relatively stable platform. The early-mid Miocene of Hatay Basin contains sparse zircons with Precambrian (570-900 Ma) and Cretaceous (73-99 Ma) populations that become prominent in the mid-late Miocene. The early Miocene of K.Maraş Basin has abundant Pan-African, Grenvillian and Eocene zircons; mid-Miocene exhibits scarce Neoproterozoic-Mesoproterozoic but abundant Cretaceous-Neogene zircons. The late Oligocene-early Miocene of Adana Basin has minor Cretaceous-Neogene zircons, becoming more abundant in the early Miocene. The Miocene of Misis Basin has abundant Precambrian grains, mainly restricted to the NE. The Miocene of Mut Basin has major zircon populations of 544-710 Ma, 730-990 Ma, and two subordinate 1700-2000 Ma and 2400-2700 Ma clusters. Early Miocene (17-19 Ma) zircons occur in some samples. The Manavgat Basin samples are similar to the Mut Basin ones but with more evidence of mid-late Miocene (8-14 Ma) zircons. Lastly, the Kopru Basin (E Isparta Angle) has Pan-African (540-640 Ma) and Grenvillian (810-1000 Ma) populations, and small Paleozoic clusters. The Pan-African and Grenvillian-aged material was probably supplied directly and/or recycled from rifted Gondwanan Cadomian ‘basement’ and its Paleozoic passive margin cover, as partly exposed in south/central Anatolia. Sparse Permian-Triassic zircons relate to Neotethyan rifting. Late Cretaceous-early Cenozoic grains were derived from adjacent Late Cretaceous ophiolitic, magmatic arc and related metamorphic units. Early Miocene zircons relate to local basaltic volcanism. The variable zircon abundances hint at differential exhumation/erosion. Two regional drainage system dominated, one through the K.Maraş basin system (E) and the other through the Isparta Angle basin system (W).