Abdüsselam pinched crustal wedge: A late cenozoic structure related to the contractional regime in the NW central Anatolia [Abdüsselam kıstırılmış tektonik kaması: KB orta anadolu’da daralma rejimiyle ilişkili bir geç senozoyik yapısı]

Abstract

The Neogene and younger sedimentary units, which are located in the W of Ankara, NW central Anatolia, have been uplifted and deformed by the pre-Neogene basement rocks due to the crustal contraction. Thus, a tectonic wedge structure has been formed in cross-section view. This structure having coeval thrust and normal faults at its eastern and western boundaries, respectively, is called as Abdüsselam Pinched Crustal Wedge (APCW). The contraction related deformation structures in the Neogene and younger sedimentary units around the APCW and along its northern and southern continuation show that the NW-SE-directed contractional regime has been active in the region since Middle Pliocene. Therefore, the faults related to the APCW located in the west of Ankara city center should be taken into consideration for the earthquake risk when considering the dense settlement and the other important facilities in the region