Are U-Th dates correlated with historical records of earthquakes? Constraints from co-seismic carbonate veins within the North Anatolian Fault Zone

Abstract

U-Th dating of carbonate veins in connection with active tectonics has recently been used as an attractive tool for constraining the absolute timing of late Quaternary crustal deformations. In this study, for the first time we correlate U-Th ages of travertine deposits in co-seismic fissures along the North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ) with records of Paleoseismological studies supported by Historical Earthquake catalogued data. U-Th ages are assed in relation to the recurrence interval and the size and epicentre distance of major Holocene earthquakes. Our statistical evaluations on age correlations indicate that the carbonate vein precipitation is concentrated in eight different periods along the NAFZ. The periods are well correlated with historical earthquake records and with previous dating results of the nearby trench studies. At least six of the periods correspond to the earthquakes reported in the historical catalogues. The age correlations of carbonate precipitation intervals for the last millennium show a recurrence along the eastern NAFZ with a mode at 130–330 years that is consistent with a previously proposed paleoseismic recurrence interval of the fault. Recorded events in carbonate veins indicate a close-epicentre (<200 km) and high-intensity (>VI) paleo earthquakes. Our results suggest that co-seismic carbonate veins could be used to determine paleoseismic records as a supplementary tool to augment paleoseismological techniques. This tool has advantages over traditional paleoseismological methods for the understanding of long-term earthquake behaviour, particularly for prehistoric late Pleistocene events which cannot be dated easily by traditional paleoseismological methods.

Geochemistry of Fluid Inclusions in Travertines From Western and Northern Turkey: Inferences on the Role of Active Faults in Fluids Circulation

“…Reşadiye samples are also from the fissure‐filling banded travertines similar to those from Pamukkale. However, they are from a fracture system along the 360‐km 1939 Erzincan earthquake ( M s = 7.8)‐rupture segment in the plate boundary hosted by the NAFZ (Karabacak et al, , Figure ). Reşadiye samples yield much younger Holocene ages (245–14,678 years) of which statistical evaluations indicate that the crustal deformation intensified at least eight different periods during the last 7,000 years along this part of the NAFZ (Karabacak et al, ).…”

“…However, they are from a fracture system along the 360‐km 1939 Erzincan earthquake ( M s = 7.8)‐rupture segment in the plate boundary hosted by the NAFZ (Karabacak et al, , Figure ). Reşadiye samples yield much younger Holocene ages (245–14,678 years) of which statistical evaluations indicate that the crustal deformation intensified at least eight different periods during the last 7,000 years along this part of the NAFZ (Karabacak et al, ). Although Pamukkale vein samples can be expected to be emplaced as subsurface (but near surface) deposits having been eroded for the last ~24 ka (Uysal et al, ), the Reşadiye veins can be regarded as surface deposits due to very young U‐Th ages up to few hundreds of years (Karabacak et al, ).…”

“…Reşadiye samples yield much younger Holocene ages (245–14,678 years) of which statistical evaluations indicate that the crustal deformation intensified at least eight different periods during the last 7,000 years along this part of the NAFZ (Karabacak et al, ). Although Pamukkale vein samples can be expected to be emplaced as subsurface (but near surface) deposits having been eroded for the last ~24 ka (Uysal et al, ), the Reşadiye veins can be regarded as surface deposits due to very young U‐Th ages up to few hundreds of years (Karabacak et al, ). Indeed, as we discuss below, there are some differences in noble gas compositions in FIs between the Pamukkale and Reşadiye samples.…”

“…Diagram of age of Reşadiye and Pamukkale travertines (Karabacak et al, ; Uysal et al, ) versus He concentration (mol/g) and 3 He/ 4 He not corrected for air contamination (R/Ra values).…”

Manifestations of Quaternary syn‐eruptive fluid circulations on carbonate veins, Central Anatolian Volcanic Province

“…The internal structure of carbonate veins is formed as alternating bands and is closely linked to repeated crustal reactivation that requires fluid circulation (Uysal et al, 2007;Nuriel et al, 2012;Brogi and Capezzuoli, 2014;Karabacak et al, 2017;Williams et al, 2017). Karabacak et al (2019) review the cycles of banded carbonate vein precipitation in tectonically active areas ( Table 1) and suggest that: (1) A coseismic period involves the opening/reopening of fractures due to seismic release. Simultaneous fluid circulation in fracture systems and expulsion of depressurised/supersaturated hot water resulted in rapid precipitation of carbonates on both walls of the fracture (planar).…”