Quantitative dating of Pleistocene deposits of the Kyrenia Range, northern Cyprus: implications for timing, rates of uplift and driving mechanisms

Abstract

The Kyrenia Range underwent tectonically driven uplift during the Pliocene to Pleistocene in response to the interaction of various tectonic processes. To understand the tectonic processes driving the uplift and how this is related to uplift of other areas of the Eastern Mediterranean, uranium-series disequilibrium and optically stimulated luminescence dating were applied to marine and non-marine terrace deposits exposed on the northern flank of the range. Palaeomagnetism and strontium isotope dating were used in conjunction to date the final stages of the marine environment adjacent to the Kyrenia Range prior to major surface uplift. Uplift rates range from >1.2 mm a −1 , inferred during the Early Pleistocene, to <0.2 mm a −1 during the Late Pleistocene. The new data show that the Kyrenia Range was uplifted contemporaneously with the Troodos Massif in southern Cyprus. The uplift of the Kyrenia Range appears to have been significantly faster than that affecting other comparable regions in the easternmost Mediterranean during the Pleistocene (e.g. Lebanon coast; southern Anatolian plateau). The driving mechanism for the uplift of both the Kyrenia Range and the Troodos Massif is inferred to be the collision of the Eratosthenes Seamount with the Cyprus trench to the south of Cyprus.Supplementary material: Details of the methods used are available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3260977.

Pliocene–Pleistocene sedimentary development of the syntectonic Polis graben, NW Cyprus: evidence from facies analysis, nannofossil biochronology and strontium isotope dating

“…Earlier deformation phases conditioned the crust for further deformation, but are not considered here. The late Miocene – earliest Pliocene compressional deformation is interpreted as the result of the final closure of a second subduction zone which separated the Troodos ophiolite and related crust to the south from the amalgamated Tauride continental crust of Turkey to the north (McCay & Robertson, 2013; Palamakumbura et al 2016, Palamakumbura & Robertson, 2016; Robertson & Kinnaird, 2016).…”

Pliocene–Pleistocene sedimentary–tectonic development of the Mesaoria (Mesarya) Basin in an incipient, diachronous collisional setting: facies evidence from the north of Cyprus

“…2011), combined with new evidence from the Kyrenia Range (Palamakumbura & Robertson, 2016; Palamakumbura et al . 2016 b ), indicate that the two areas uplifted contemporaneously from Early Pleistocene time onwards.…”

“…Palaeomagnetic analysis of the Athalassa (Gürpınar) Formation in the north of the Mesaoria (Mesarya) Plain has revealed the existence of reversed polarities, indicating deposition prior to the most recent palaeomagnetic reversal at 0.78 Ma (Palamakumbura et al . 2016 b ). The available evidence suggests an Early Pleistocene age for the Athalassa (Gürpınar) Formation within the northern part of the Mesaoria (Mesarya) Basin, similar to the age of the better-dated exposures further south.…”

“…Recently, it has been inferred that the collision also affected the Kyrenia Range further north (Palamakumbura et al . 2016 b ). Other tectonic models have postulated late-stage continental collisional setting (Calon, Aksu & Hall, 2005), regional strike-slip/transpression (Harrison et al .…”

“…The uplift culminated in a marine regression and the emergence of the present Kyrenia mountain range during Mid-Late Pleistocene time in a setting of incipient continental collision (Palamakumbura et al . 2016 b ; Palamakumbura & Robertson, 2016).…”