Evolution of Çamlık fissure-ridge travertines in the Başkale basin (Van, Eastern Anatolia)

Abstract

Fissure-ridge travertines (FRTs) are of great importance for the determination and comparison of tectonic deformation in a region. The coeval development of these travertines with active fault zones supplies significant information about regional dynamics in terms of deformation pattern and evolution. In this paper, the characteristics of FRTs of the Başkale basin (eastern Turkey) and responsible regional tectonism are discussed for the first time. The Başkale basin is located between the Başkale Fault Zone (BFZ) characterised by Çamlık fault and Işıklı–Ziraniş fault. It is located between dextral Yüksekova Fault Zone and southern end of dextral Guilato–Siahcheshmeh–Khoy Fault system (Iran). Various morphological features indicating recent activity are exposed along the BFZ, including offsetting rivers, fissure-ridge travertine and fault scarps. The Çamlık fissure-ridge travertine composing of three different depositions is observed along the eastern edge of the BFZ with approximately parallel orientations. The Çamlık fissure-ridge travertine has been formed and developed on fault zone related to strike-slip or oblique movements. We explain how kinematic changes of faults can influence the fissure-ridge development.

Keywords

• fissure-ridge travertine
• oblique fault
• Başkale basin
• Turkish–Iran Plateau
• Eastern Anatolia