FACIES AND TECTONIC SIGNIFICANCE OF 2 CONTRASTING MIOCENE BASINS IN SOUTH COASTAL TURKEY

Several Miocene basins are developed on a mosaic of deformed Mesozoic carbonate platforms and ophiolitic units in the Antalya region of sout h-west Turkey. Two of these, the Manavgat and Kopru basins, show contr asting orientations and stratigraphies. The Manavgat basin is orientat ed broadly SE-NW and contains a succession of shallow-water reef carbo nates overlain by a thick sequence of deeper-water marls. The upper pa rt of the succession consists of sandstones, siltstones and conglomera tes, mainly deposited by gravity processes. The stratigraphy of the N- S Kopru basin can be subdivided into a western part, which consists of coarse fan delta-conglomerates with local patch reefs, and an eastern part with thinly bedded sandy turbidites. Tool marks indicate north t o south flow in the north of the basin, but a southeasterly direction in the area of intersection with the Manavgat basin in the south-east. In the Light of alternative regional hypotheses, it is thought that e arly Miocene basin initiation is related to coeval southeastward thrus ting of the Mesozoic Lycian Nappes. Flexural loading is inferred to ha ve resulted in block faulting of the foreland and this exploited preex isting Lines of structural weakness, dating from early Mesozoic riftin g. mid-Miocene relative sea-level rise may relate to global eustacy, a nd/or regional tectonic subsidence. Finally, late Miocene renewed coar se elastic input (locally very coarse) and basin infilling reflect tec tonic uplift to the north, possibly related to continuing Africa-Euras ia convergence in the region.