Seismic stratigraphy and late quaternary sediments in inner and mid-shelf areas of eastern Mersin Bay, northeastern Mediterranean Sea

Seismic stratigraphy of Late Quaternary sediments of western Mersin Bay shelf, (NE Mediterranean Sea)

“…h = discontinuity indicating possible cyclic sedimentation ?. calculation data from Seyhan and Ceyhan deltas (Aksu et al, 1992), we may suggest that the sequence C identified on the seismic profiles of this study mostly corresponds to the Holocene sediments, as was also described in a previous work of Ergin et al (1992). …”

“…Alternatively, it is also possible that they are side-echoes reflected from a buried karstic former land surface or merely a direct reflection from such a surface. The contact between sequence C and sequence B is interpreted to be the Late Pleistocene-Early Holocene erosional-depositional surfaces formed during the last fall of sea level (Wü rmian regression;À 100 to À 125 m between 20,000 and 18,000 years BP; Clark et al, 1978;Coutellier and Stanley, 1987) and is equivalent to the pre-Holocene reflector bRQ buried under the sediments of the post-glacial (Flandrian) transgression found in eastern Mersin Bay around the Tarsus-Seyhan delta (Okyar, 1991;Ergin et al, 1992). Based on stratigraphic correlation of radiocarbon-dated sediments from major lobes of Nile Delta (Coutellier and Stanley, 1987), and seismic and sediment budget Fig.…”

“…Location map of the seismic survey lines (I-XXVI). The seismic reflection profiles discussed in the text are given in solid lines ; and the seismic reflection profiles used in previous publication by Ergin et al (1992) are numbered with I-XI. Borehole locations are marked with plus signs.…”

“…The aim of this paper is, therefore, to investigate the subbottom seismic stratigraphy and the distribution pattern of the related depositional sequences in response to the various topographic, hydrographic and climatic factors that prevailed during the Late Quaternary history of the Mersin Bay. Although emphasis is placed on the western part of the Mersin Bay where the narrow coastal, alluvial plain is supplied by ephemeral rivers passes southwestward into a rocky coastal area cut by numerous rivers and streams, content also includes the eastern Mersin Bay, considering previous work by Ergin et al (1992). Therefore, this article is intended to be complimentary to those presented earlier by Aksu et al (1992) and Ergin et al (1992) as it contributes a new data on the seismic stratigraphic interpretation of the Late Quaternary sediments of the western Mersin Bay located in previously un-surveyed area of the Cilicia Basin.…”

“…IMS, 1986a;Bodur and Ergin, 1989;Ergin et al, 1989;Bodur and Ergin, 1992;Okyar et al, 1992) have been conducted in the nearshore waters (in depths less than 20 m) of the eastern Mersin Bay. More extensive seismic coverage, reaching up to about 200 m depth, over the shelf of the Mersin Bay includes the works of Okyar (1991) and Ergin et al (1992). Apart from these high resolution seismic reflection surveys, detailed air-gun seismic reflection profiles with deep penetrations (up to 1200 ms TWT) were collected in the Cilicia-İskenderun Basins (Aksu et al, 1992).…”