A New Approach to Active Tectonics SW of Altınova (Yalova) with Paleoseismological Data, NW Türkiye

Seray Çınar Yıldız; Süha Özden

doi:10.28979/jarnas.1902848

A New Approach to Active Tectonics SW of Altınova (Yalova) with Paleoseismological Data, NW Türkiye

Abstract

This study aims to provide a new perspective on the active tectonics south of the Hersek Delta in the Sea of Marmara based on paleoseismological trenches in the southern part of the North Anatolian Fault Zone. Within this scope, one natural trench was examined at Çavuşçiftliği, immediately southwest of Altınova (Yalova), and a total of five trenches were excavated in Geyikdere and Havuzdere villages. Radiocarbon (¹⁴C) dating methods indicate at least five paleo-earthquake events occurred in the region. They may have occurred between AD 66 ± 43 and AD 873 ± 57, AD 873 ± 57 and AD 972 ± 40 in the Geyikdere trenches; AD 1202 ± 32 and AD 1350 ± 30, AD 1350 ± 30 and AD 1359 ± 33, and AD 1359 ± 33 and AD 1875 ± 30 in the Havuzdere trenches. These events may have been related with large earthquakes that likely affected İzmit and surroundings on the northern branch of the North Anatolian Fault Zone. Although a NW–SE directed compressional regime constitutes the main tectonic regime in NW Anatolia currently, ENE–WSW, WNW–ESE and E–W trending normal faults detected in the study area are related to a local NNE-SSW extensional tectonic regime.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

TÜBİTAK KAMAG 1007

Project Number

TÜBİTAK KAMAG 1007 Project Number: 123G013

Ethical Statement

No approval from the Board of Ethics is required.

Thanks

This study was carried out within the scope of the TÜBİTAK KAMAG 1007 by project number 123G013. We thank the reviewers who evaluated the article for their valuable contributions and TÜBİTAK for their contributions.

References

D. McKenzie, Active tectonics of the Mediterranean region, Geophysical Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society 30 (2) (1972) 109–185.
D. McKenzie, Some remarks on the development of sedimentary basins, Earth and Planetary Science Letters 40 (1978) 25–32.
M. C. Şengör, The North Anatolian transform fault: its age, offset and tectonic significance, Journal of the Geological Society 136 (3) (1979) 269–282.
X. Le Pichon, J. Angelier, The Aegean Sea, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series A, Mathematical and Physical Sciences 300 (1454) (1981) 357–372.
M. C. Şengör, Y. Yılmaz, Tethyan evolution of Turkey: a plate tectonic approach, Tectonophysics 75 (1981) 181–241.
J. Jackson, D. McKenzie, Active tectonics of the Alpine–Himalayan belt between western Turkey and Pakistan, Geophysical Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society 77 (1) (1984) 185–264.
J. Dewey, M. L. Helman, S. D. Knott, E. Turco, D. H. W. Hutton, Kinematics of the western Mediterranean, Geological Society, London, Special Publications 45 (1) (1989) 265–283.
R. Westaway, Present-day kinematics of the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean, Journal of Geophysical Research 99 (B6) (1994) 12071–12090.

Barka, The North Anatolian fault zone, Annales Tectonicae 6 (1992) 164–195.
M. C. Şengör, N. Görür, F. Şaroğlu, Strike-slip faulting and related basin formation in zones of tectonic escape: Turkey as a case study, Strike-Slip Deformation, Basin Formation, and Sedimentation, Vol. 37 of SEPM Special Publication, Society for Sedimentary Geology, 1985, pp. 227–264.
Özkan, H. H. Yavaşoğlu, İ. Tiryakioğlu, G. Uslular, M. F. Karabulut, P. Ulrich, F. Masson, New GPS-derived velocity field for Marmara region: Implications for the kinematics along the North Anatolian Fault Zone, Tectonics 911 (2025) 230828.
R. Reilinger, S. McClusky, P. Vernant, S. Lawrence, S. Ergintav, R. Cakmak, H. Özener, F. Kadirov, I. Guliev, ..., G. Karam, GPS constraints on continental deformation in the Africa‐Arabia‐Eurasia continental collision zone and implications for the dynamics of plate interactions, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 111 (2006) B05411.
S. McClusky, S. Balassanian, A. Barka, C. Demir, S. Ergintav, I. Georgiev, O. Gurkan, M. Hamburger, K. Hurst, ..., G. Veis, Global Positioning System constraints on plate kinematics and dynamics in the eastern Mediterranean and Caucasus, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 105 (B3) (2000) 5695–5719.
J. Meade, B. H. Hager, S. McClusky, R. E. Reilinger, S. Ergintav, O. Lenk, A. Barka, H. Özener, Estimates of seismic potential in the Marmara Sea region from block models of secular deformation constrained by Global Positioning System measurements, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 92 (1) (2002) 208–215.
S. Özalp, Ö. Emre, A. Doğan, The segment structure of southern branch of the North Anatolian Fault and paleoseismological behaviour of the Gemlik Fault, NW Anatolia, Bulletin of the Mineral Research and Exploration, 147 (2013) 1–17.
R. S. Stein, A. A. Barka, J. H. Dieterich, Progressive failure on the North Anatolian fault since 1939 by earthquake stress triggering, Geophysical Journal International, 128 (3) (1997) 594–604.
T. Parsons, R. S. Stein, R. W. Simpson, P. A. Reasenberg, Stress sensitivity of fault seismicity: A comparison between limited‐offset oblique and major strike‐slip faults, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 104 (B9) (1999) 20183–20202.
M. Erdik, M. Demircioglu, K. Sesetyan, E. Durukal, B. Siyahi, Earthquake hazard in Marmara region, Turkey, Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, 24 (8) (2004) 605–631.
Barka, H. S. Akyuz, E. Altunel, G. Sunal, Z. Cakir, A. Dikbas, B. Yerli, R. Armijo, B. Meyer, ..., W. Page, The surface rupture and slip distribution of the 17 August 1999 Izmit earthquake (M 7.4), North Anatolian fault, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 92 (1) (2002) 43–60.
W. Lettis, J. Bachhuber, R. Witter, C. Brankman, C. E. Randolph, A. Barka, W. D. Page, A. Kaya, Influence of releasing step-overs on surface fault rupture and fault segmentation: Examples from the 17 August 1999 Izmit earthquake on the North Anatolian fault, Turkey, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 92 (1) (2002) 19–42.
Ö. Kozacı, Paleoseismological Studies on the Yalova Segment of the North Anatolian Fault in the Hersek Delta, Master’s Thesis İstanbul Technical University (2002) İstanbul.
R. Demirtaş, Hersek (Altınova) Delta paleoseismological studies, General Directorate of Disaster Affairs (2007).
V. Özaksoy, Ö. Emre, C. Yıldırım, A. Doğan, S. Özalp, F. Tokay, Sedimentary record of late Holocene seismicity and uplift of Hersek restraining bend along the North Anatolian Fault in the Gulf of İzmit, Tectonophysics 487 (1-4) (2010) 33–45.
Ö. Kozacı, E. Altunel, S. Lindvall, C. Brankman, W. Lettis, The North Anatolian fault on the Hersek Peninsula, Turkey: Its geometry and implications for the 1999 Izmit earthquake rupture propagation, Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences, 20 (4) (2011) 359–378.
Ö. Emre, A. Doğan, T. Y. Duman, S. Özalp, 1: 250,000 scale Active Fault Map Series of Turkey, Bursa (NK 35-12) Quadrangle, General Directorate of Mineral and Exploration, Ankara-Türkiye, Serial Number: 9 (2011) Accessed: 13 Feb 2026.
Ö. Emre, T. Y. Duman, S. Özalp, F. Şaroğlu, Ş. Olgun, H. Elmacı, T. Çan, Active fault database of Turkey, Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering, 16 (8) (2018) 3229-3275.
Elmas, E. Yiğitbaş, Ophiolite emplacement by strike-slip tectonics between the Pontide Zone and the Sakarya Zone in northwestern Anatolia, Turkey, International Journal of Earth Sciences, 90 (2) (2001) 257-269.
Y. Yılmaz, O. Tüysüz, E. Yiğitbaş, Ş. C. Genç, A. M. C. Şengör, Geology and tectonic evolution of the Pontides, Regional and Petroleum geology of the Black Sea and Surrounding Region, Vol. 68 of AAPG Memoir, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, 1997, pp. 183–226.
E. Yiğitbaş, A. Elmas, Y. Yılmaz, Pre‐Cenozoic tectono‐stratigraphic components of the western pontides and their geological evolution, Geological Journal, 34 (1‐2) (1999) 55-74.
Ö. Emre, T. Erkal, A. Tchepalyga, N. Kazancı, M. Keçer, E. Ünay, Neogene-Quaternary evolution of the eastern Marmara region, northwest Turkey, Bulletin of the Mineral Research and Exploration, 120 (1998) 119-145.
S. Bargu, M. Sakınç, Geology and structural features of the region between Izmit Bay and Iznik Lake, Istanbul University Faculty of Engineering Journal of Earth Sciences, 7 (1-2) (1990) 45-76.
S. Bargu, M. Sakınç, Investigation and Evaluation of Natural Aggregate Potential of the Section Between Karamürsel and İznik Lake in Armutlu Peninsula, TÜBİTAK TBAG-587 Report, Ankara, 1984.
M. Albayrak, A. Kahya, Mineralogical and Petrographic Characteristics of Zeolitic Tuffs Around Havuzdere, Geyikdere, İnebeyli and Tepeköy (Karamürsel, Yalova, Türkiye), Dicle University Faculty of Engineering Engineering Journal,15 (1) (2024) 177–190.
N. Ambraseys, The seismic activity of the Marmara Sea region over the last 2000 years, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 92 (1) (2002) 1-18.
N. N. Ambraseys, The earthquake of 1509 in the Sea of Marmara, Turkey, revisited, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 91 (6) (2001) 1397-1416.
E. Guidoboni, A. Comastri, G. Traina, Catalogue of Ancient Earthquakes in the Mediterranean Area up to 10th Century, Ist. Naz. di Geofis. e Vulcanol., Storia Geofis. Ambiente, Bologna, Italy, 1994.
N. N. Ambraseys, C. F. Finkel, The Seismicity of Turkey and Adjacent Areas a Historical Review, 1500-1800, Eren Yayınevi, İstanbul, 1995.
E. Guidoboni, A. Comastri, Catalogue of earthquakes and tsunamis in the Mediterranean area from the 11th to the 15th century, INGV-SGA, Bologna, Italy, 2005.
J. L. Davis, A. P. Annan, Ground‐penetrating radar for high‐resolution mapping of soil and rock stratigraphy, Geophysical Prospecting, 37 (5) (1989) 531-551.
C. Yalçıner, B. Alpar, Y. Altınok, İ. Özbay, F. Imamura, Tsunamis in the Sea of Marmara Historical documents for the past, models for the future, Marine Geology, 190 (1-2) (2002) 445-463.
L. B. Conyers, Ground-penetrating radar for archaeology, Encyclopedia of imaging science and technology, 2004.
Ç. Balkaya, G. Göktürkler, Modeling of through-well ground radar data, Pamukkale University Journal of Engineering Sciences, 22 (6) (2016) 581-596.
L. Becerra‐Valdivia, T. Higham, New developments in radiocarbon dating, Handbook of Archaeological Sciences, 2023, pp. 25-35.
Baral, S. Budhathoki, A. Bhattarai, N. K. Chaudhary, Revolutionizing Age Determination: Theoretical Insights into Radiocarbon (14C) Dating, Contemporary Research: An Interdisciplinary Academic Journal, 7 (2) (2024) 77-95.
M. Chen, D. W. Li, H. Zhang, Z. Wang, M. Zhao, Distinct variations and mechanisms for terrestrial OC 14C-ages in the Eastern China marginal sea sediments since the last deglaciation, Quaternary Science Reviews, 315 (2023) 108235.
J. Rhodes, Optically stimulated luminescence dating of sediments over the past 200,000 years, Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 39 (1) (2011) 461-488.
P. J. Reimer, M. G. L. Baillie, E. Bard, A. Bayliss, J. W. Beck, C. J. H. Bertrand, P. G. Blackwell, C. E. Buck, G. Burr, …, C. E. Weyhenmeyer, IntCal04 terrestrial radiocarbon age calibration, 0-26 cal kyr BP, Radiocarbon, 46 (3) (2004) 1029-1057.
Bronk Ramsey, OxCal v.4.4.4 (2021). Accessed 26 Sep 2026.
Ö. Kozacı, J. F. Dolan, R. C. Finkel, R. D. Hartleb, Late Holocene slip rate for the North Anatolian fault, Turkey, from cosmogenic 36Cl geochronology: Implications for the constancy of fault loading and strain release rates, Geology, 35 (10) (2007) 867–870.
S. Özden, S. Över, S. Altuncu Poyraz, Y. Güneş, A. Pınar, Tectonic implications of the 2017 Ayvacık (Çanakkale) earthquakes, Biga Peninsula, NW Turkey, Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 154 (2018) 125-141.
Öztin, 1894 İstanbul Depremi Raporu, Bayındırlık ve İskân Bakanlığı Afet İşleri Genel Müdürlüğü Deprem Araştırma Dairesi, Ankara, 1994.
N. N. Ambraseys, A. Zatopek, The Mudurnu Valley, West Anatolia, Turkey, earthquake of 22 July 1967, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am., 59 (1969) 521-589.
A. Zachariadou, Doğal Afetler: Fırsat Anları. Osmanlı İmparatorluğu’nda Doğal Afetler, Tarih Vakfı Yurt Yayınları, İstanbul, 2001, pp. 6-10.
Öztüre, Resim, Fotograf ve Belgelerle Nicomedia İzmit tarihi, Çeltüt Matbaası, İstanbul, 1969.
N. Ambraseys, Earthquakes in the Mediterranean and Middle East: a multidisciplinary study of seismicity up to 1900, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2009.
Soysal, S. Sipahioğlu, D. Kolçak, Y. Altınok, Historical Earthquake Catalogue of Turkey and Surrounding Area (2100 B.C.-1900 A.D.), Technical Report No. TBAG-341, TÜBİTAK, İstanbul, 1981.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

General Geology

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Seray Çınar Yıldız ^*
0009-0005-7048-8456
Türkiye

Süha Özden
0000-0001-6321-0812
Türkiye

Publication Date

September 30, 2026

Submission Date

March 4, 2026

Acceptance Date

July 27, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 12 Number: 3

DOI

https://doi.org/10.28979/jarnas.1902848

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA23PT29TD

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Çınar Yıldız, S., & Özden, S. (2026). A New Approach to Active Tectonics SW of Altınova (Yalova) with Paleoseismological Data, NW Türkiye. Journal of Advanced Research in Natural and Applied Sciences, 12(3), 204-232. https://doi.org/10.28979/jarnas.1902848

AMA

1.Çınar Yıldız S, Özden S. A New Approach to Active Tectonics SW of Altınova (Yalova) with Paleoseismological Data, NW Türkiye. JARNAS. 2026;12(3):204-232. doi:10.28979/jarnas.1902848

Chicago

Çınar Yıldız, Seray, and Süha Özden. 2026. “A New Approach to Active Tectonics SW of Altınova (Yalova) With Paleoseismological Data, NW Türkiye”. Journal of Advanced Research in Natural and Applied Sciences 12 (3): 204-32. https://doi.org/10.28979/jarnas.1902848.

EndNote

Çınar Yıldız S, Özden S (September 1, 2026) A New Approach to Active Tectonics SW of Altınova (Yalova) with Paleoseismological Data, NW Türkiye. Journal of Advanced Research in Natural and Applied Sciences 12 3 204–232.

IEEE

[1]S. Çınar Yıldız and S. Özden, “A New Approach to Active Tectonics SW of Altınova (Yalova) with Paleoseismological Data, NW Türkiye”, JARNAS, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 204–232, Sept. 2026, doi: 10.28979/jarnas.1902848.

ISNAD

Çınar Yıldız, Seray - Özden, Süha. “A New Approach to Active Tectonics SW of Altınova (Yalova) With Paleoseismological Data, NW Türkiye”. Journal of Advanced Research in Natural and Applied Sciences 12/3 (September 1, 2026): 204-232. https://doi.org/10.28979/jarnas.1902848.

JAMA

1.Çınar Yıldız S, Özden S. A New Approach to Active Tectonics SW of Altınova (Yalova) with Paleoseismological Data, NW Türkiye. JARNAS. 2026;12:204–232.

MLA

Çınar Yıldız, Seray, and Süha Özden. “A New Approach to Active Tectonics SW of Altınova (Yalova) With Paleoseismological Data, NW Türkiye”. Journal of Advanced Research in Natural and Applied Sciences, vol. 12, no. 3, Sept. 2026, pp. 204-32, doi:10.28979/jarnas.1902848.

Vancouver

1.Seray Çınar Yıldız, Süha Özden. A New Approach to Active Tectonics SW of Altınova (Yalova) with Paleoseismological Data, NW Türkiye. JARNAS. 2026 Sep. 1;12(3):204-32. doi:10.28979/jarnas.1902848

DOAJ	EBSCO
Scilit	SOBİAD