Evolution of the Lycian Allochthon, western Turkey, as a north-facing Late Palaeozoic to Mesozoic rift and passive continental margin

Tectonic development of an orogen-top rift recorded by its terrestrial sedimentation pattern: The Neogene Eşen Basin of southwestern Anatolia, Turkey

“…The Lycian nappes owe their origin to the early Tertiary closure of a Neotethys branch along the İzmir-Ankara suture zone, between the Menderes microcontinent accreted earlier to the north and the Beydağları microcontinent arriving from the south (Şengör and Yılmaz, 1981;Collins and Robertson, 1998;Okay et al, 2001). This younger nappe complex was emplaced in the latest Cretaceous to early Tertiary Collins and Robertson, 2003), and was interpreted by Collins and Robertson (1999) to represent a north-facing Mesozoic rift and passive margin of the İzmir-Ankara Neotethys branch. The tectonic loading of the autochthon by the Lycian nappes resulted in development of a peripheral foreland basin to the southeast of the nappe front (Hayward, 1984).…”

Integrated Radiolaria, benthic foraminifera and conodont biochronology of the pelagic Permian blocks/tectonic slices and geochemistry of associated volcanic rocks from the Mersin Mélange, southern Turkey: Implications for the Permian evolution of the northern Neotethys

“…In this context, the rifting of northern Gondwana occurred during the Lower Jurassic (Sengör & Yilmaz, 1981 . Although both localities are situated in southern Turkey, they are shown to be of northerly origin (Collins & Robertson, 1999;Parlak & Robertson, 2004;. The finding from the Mersin…”

Testing models of Late Palaeozoic–Early Mesozoic orogeny in Western Turkey: support for an evolving open-Tethys model

“…7b) begins with Upper Triassic mid-ocean MORB and volcaniclastic turbidites and passes into Upper Triassic neritic to pelagic carbonate rocks and then into Jurassic to Upper Cretaceous deep-water, redeposited sedimentary rocks, mainly calciturbidites (Collins & Robertson 1999). A Late Triassic (Mid-Carnian) age for the MORB was recently confirmed from the study of intercalated radiolarian sediments (Tekin & Göncüoglu 2002).…”