Dating of the youngest marine unit of the Van Region, Van formation by magnetostratigraphy

In this study, it is aimed precisely to date Lower-Miocene Van Formation which is considered as a key unit recording Eurasia-Arabia continental collision event by paleomagnetic tools. Dating abrupt sedimentary changes throughout the formation and associating these changes with the evolutionary tectonic history of the region are the main concerns of the study. In this regard, three different sedimentary environments for the formation were determined along a measured stratigraphic section. From bottom to top, they are represented by deep marine, transitional and shallow marine sequences. 350 paleomagnetic core samples in stratigraphic order were collected from the different environments and their paleomagnetic polarities were determined. These polarities were correlated to the Standard Geomagnetic Polarity Time Scale (GPTS). This correlation indicates that the base of the section has an age of ~19.5 Ma, the marine-continental transition is dated at 18.8 Ma, and the top of the succession has an age of ~16.8 Ma. Additionally, paleostress analyses were conducted on limited fault planes (3 planes) sealed by dated sequences. An age of 18.8 Ma corresponding to an abrupt transition from deep to shallow marine sequences and paleostress solutions suggesting compressional regime for the base of continental units are interpreted as the records of Arabia-Eurasia continental collision event occurred in the Eastern Anatolia.