Sedimentological evolution of Karaisali formation (North of Adana basin)

This study aims to determine deposition environment of the Karaisalı Formation cropping out in the north and northwestern parts of the Neogene Adana Basin and relative sea level changes in the area by means of facies analyses. Thin sections were prepared from the samples taken from the measured sections and were examined under a polarizing microscope. The sedimentary sequence of Adana Basin in the field of study; discordantly starts with terrestrial Gildirli Formation (Oligocene-Lower Miocene) and comes angular unconformity on the Paleozoic-Mesozoic basis. Kaplankaya Formation (Burdigalian-Langhian (?)), which is generally composed of shallow marine sediments belonging to Akitanian, transitionally overlies this. Continuations of transgression, optimum climatic conditions and increase of carbonate production have provided development of Karaisalı carbonates. New data (especially nannoplankton data) show that carbonate sedimentation of Karaisalı Formation starting in the Aquitanian, continued until Serrevallian in this area. This sea-level rise continued until the late Burdigalian ends with the sea-level fall at the beginning of Langhian. Following sea-level rise allowed to develop a reef platform with all the parts and lithologies of a reef body from marine area to land. While this carbonate platform is forming at the marginal parts of the basin, the deeper part is characterized by submarine fan sediment of Langhiyen-Serravallian aged Cingöz Formation. As a result, development of Karaisalı Formation founded first time with this study that continued up into Serrevallian. Local sea level changes, paleotopography, local tectonism and the absence of clastic input from the north margin were main effects for the evolution of the Karaisalı Formation