Plio-Quaternary Sandy Deposits and Microbial Buildups at the Southern Marmara Shelf Near Shoreface Area, Turkey

Year 2014, Volume: 1 Issue: 1, 40 - 47, 10.11.2014

Denizhan Vardar Hande Aykurt Vardar

https://doi.org/10.30897/ijegeo.300731

Cited By: 2

Abstract

Understanding the formation and evolution mechanism of
the sandy deposits plays key role to define the hydrodynamics of the shelves and
coasts. The barrier islands determined from high resolution chirp seismic
reflection profiles, were started to deposit on the boundary (SB) that
characterized by the lowstand stages of global sea level in the southern
Marmara shelf near shoreface area. The unit haslost its activity at 55 ms, 60
ms depth in Erdek Bay, at 55 ms in Bandırma Bay, at 61 ms front of the Kocasu
River. According to global sea level curves, this unit was evolved between
11000-11500 BP and10450-10150 BP. The geometrical situation and internal
reflection character of these units indicate the balance between fluvial
sediment transportation, marine intrusion and current systems in the study
area. Belkis Isthmus that connects the Kapıdağ Peninsula to the mainland
occurred synchronously with same process that formed the barrier islands.
Bioherm structures were formed on the barrier islands and some of the bioherm’s
uppermost surface is reached to 1 m below the sea floor. Bioherm structures are
composing from organisms; formation and evolution depend on various stress
factors. Barrier islands provide nutritional source to bioherms. Since these
structures occur in a limited area, the development should be controlled by
secondary factors. Biogenic gas determined from seismic sections closed to
bioherm structures, probably plays the secondary role. Addition to this, during
the forming and the growing of bioherms, Marmara Islands (Pasalimanı, Avşa,
Marmara Islands) and Imralı Island were possibly control the currents and the
flooding in the study area and provided convenient environment to these
structures evolution.

Keywords

Sandy deposits, microbial buildups, seismic profiles, bioherm structures

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