FACIES AND TECTONIC SIGNIFICANCE OF 2 CONTRASTING MIOCENE BASINS IN SOUTH COASTAL TURKEY

Several Miocene basins are developed on a mosaic of deformed Mesozoic carbonate platforms and ophiolitic units in the Antalya region of south-west Turkey. Two of these, the Manavgat and Kopru basins, show contrasting orientations and stratigraphies. The Manavgat basin is orientated broadly SE-NW and contains a succession of shallow-water reef carbonates overlain by a thick sequence of deeper-water marls. The upper part of the succession consists of sandstones, siltstones and conglomerates, mainly deposited by gravity processes. The stratigraphy of the N-S Kopru basin can be subdivided into a western part, which consists of coarse fan delta-conglomerates with local patch reefs, and an eastern part with thinly bedded sandy turbidites. Tool marks indicate north to south flow in the north of the basin, but a southeasterly direction in the area of intersection with the Manavgat basin in the south-east. In the Light of alternative regional hypotheses, it is thought that early Miocene basin initiation is related to coeval southeastward thrusting of the Mesozoic Lycian Nappes. Flexural loading is inferred to have resulted in block faulting of the foreland and this exploited preexisting Lines of structural weakness, dating from early Mesozoic rifting. mid-Miocene relative sea-level rise may relate to global eustacy, and/or regional tectonic subsidence. Finally, late Miocene renewed coarse elastic input (locally very coarse) and basin infilling reflect tectonic uplift to the north, possibly related to continuing Africa-Eurasia convergence in the region.