The geological and investigations of the emli valley and its surroundings (Aladağlar, Çamardi-Nigde) tectonic features

This study covers the Emlibogazı Valley and its surroundings, located approximately 10 km east of Çukurbağ Village, affiliated to Çamardı District of Niğde, in the southwestern part of Aladağlar. In this study, the rock units formed during the Triassic-Cenozoic interval and outcropping in the Emlibogazı Valley and its vicinity were investigated. The units studied according to their tectonostratigraphic positions are Emli Limestone (Middle-Upper Triassic), Sırçak Limestone (Lower Jurassic), Emlibogazı formation (Turonian-Santonian), Aladağ Ophiolitic Melange (Upper Cretaceous), PozantıKarsantı Ophiolite (Upper Cretaceous), Beyaz Aladağ Formation (Triassic), Çukurbağ Formation ( Oligocene-Lower Miocene), Çatalca Conglomerate (Quaternary), Alivyon (Quaternary) and Yamaç Colluvium (Quaternary). The unit in lowest tectono-stratigraphic position is the Late Triassic Emli Limestone. Emli Limestone is overlain conformably by neritic limestones represented by Sırçak Limestone of Early Jurassic age. Sırçak Limestone is unconformably overlain by Late Cretaceous (Turonian-Santonian) Emlibogazı formation which is first described in this study. Emlibogazı Formation consists of finely laminated, grey-pink-maroon colored, pelitic limestones intercalated with thick carbonate breccias. The unit is characterized by the presence of planktonic foraminifers, namely Helvetoglobotruncana helvetica, H. praehelvetica, Praeglobotruncana algeriana, Dicarinella concavata and marginoturuncanids. Emlibogazı Formation provides a tectonic contact with the Late Cretaceous aged Aladağ Ophiolitic Melange. The Pozantı-Karsantı Ophiolite overthrust by the Aladağ Ophiolitic Melange is present in a small part of the study area. At the tectono-stratigraphically highest level in the Emlibogazı Valley area of Aladağlar, the Triassic aged Beyaz Aladağ Formation forms the highest mountainous parts of the Aladağlar. Unlike other Triassic units, it contains megalodont bearing limestones. The unit was thrust over all the Mesozoic aged units in the study area. The Oligocene-Early Miocene aged Çukurbağ Formation overlies with angular unconformity the older units. The younger units such as Çatalca conglomerate, alluvium or colluvium unconformably covers these units. Within the scope of this study, a geological map of Emlibogazı Valley and its vicinity showing the relationships of the outcropping units is prepared and presented. The region has been under the influence of a transtensional tectonic regime in the post-Miocene period. The faults developed under the influence of this regime are the normal faults forming the margins of the Çukurbağ pull-apart basin developed under the transtensional regime. Apart from these normal faults, lineaments in two directions (N60E and N10W) obtained from satellite images were detected in many parts of the study area. Lineaments in approximately N60-70 E direction represent antithetic fractures developed in strike-slip fault zones, and ones in approximately N05-10W direction (inconsistent with above) synthetic fractures. Keywords: Eastern Taurides, Aladağlar, Emliboğazı Valley, Tectonostratigraphy, Microfacies