N. Gorur et O. Tuysuz, Cretaceous to miocene palaeogeographic evolution of Turkey: Implications for hydrocarbon potential, J PETR GEOL, 24(2), 2001, pp. 119-146
The Cretaceous to Miocene palaeogeographic development of Turkey in general
reflects the evolution of the various oceanic branches of Neo-Tethys toget
her with interactions between the Laurasian and Gondwanan margins. At the b
eginning of the Cretaceous, the first-order palaeotectonic units which make
up present-day Turkey either formed parts of these supercontinents or were
isolated continental blocks within the Neo-Tethys. In Aptian to Albian tim
es, north-dipping subduction commenced along the southern margins of these
units and resulted in the development of magmatic arcs and are-related sedi
mentary basins. Coeval with the start of subduction, large-scale ophiolite
obduction occurred on the units' passive margins. Terminal closure of the o
ceans' branches took place between the latest Cretaceous and the Miocene, f
orming the Anatolian orogenic collage whose outline defines present-day Tur
key. Post-collisional intra-continental convergence continued until the lat
e Miocene and resulted in north-south shortening of the collage. This short
ening led to internal imbrication, thrusting and crustal thickening It forc
ed the Anatolian landmass westwards, away from east Anatolia where there ha
s been continuous north-south compression since the Miocene between Laurasi
a and the Arabian Platform.
\Both the continental and the oceanic palaeotectonic units pose significant
problems regarding their original geometry, size, depth, extent, contact r
elations, motion paths, subduction polarity, stratigraphy and timing of for
mation. Clarification of these issues is essential if the units' original p
aleogeographic relationships with respect to Neo-Tethys ave to be reconstru
cted. This paper reviews some of these problems with the aid of a number of
palinspastic and non-palinspastic maps. These maps are intended to provide
a basis for evaluating the hydrocarbon potential of Turkey.