Imaging the Basin and Fault Geometry From the Multichannel Seismic Reflection Data in the Tekirdag Basin, Marmara Sea, Turkey

Abstract

Determination of the fault geometry in the Marmara Sea has been a major problem for the researchers after the occurrence of the 1999 August 17 Golcuk (M = 7.4) earthquake. To shed a light to the problem we applied the pre-stack Kirchhoff depth migration technique to the multichannel seismic reflection data of three profiles to investigate the basin and fault geometry in the Tekirdag Basin in the western Marmara Sea. The boundary of the basin and its sediments were revealed in N-S and NE-SW directions in depth sections. We identify major fault types involving these structures at different locations in Tekirdag Basin showing that the basin is developed under their movement. The North Anatolian Fault is imaged and interpreted as transtensional character at the centre of the Tekirdag Basin that is symmetrically divided with a large distributed zone. The fault plane is imaged through the depth of 2 km dipping to the north with 90 degrees in the upper 350 m and 82 degrees in the lower part. The basin thickness reaches about 2.5 km at that point. Syn-transform sediments of the basin are disturbed by some normal faults dipping to the north. These faults are represented by notable displacements of the reflections which prompted us to consider them as a potential tsunami source if they move during a large earthquake along the major fault. Another major fault is identified at the westernmost of the basin. Because it shows the same character as Ganos fault, it might be submarine part of it. It has reverse component with the dip angle of 65 degrees to the north and trending along the western flank of the basin. A reverse fault is identified appearing in low angle (similar to 20 degrees) surrounding the edge of the submarine slide at southwest of the basin. From its geometry it is interpreted as a local fault formed between two main faults. From the sketch of the basin and the fault geometry obtained from the images we suggest that the basin should be formed by a pull-apart system.