Tectono-stratigraphic characteristics of the northern sections of Aydıncık (Mersin) region

There are Middle Carboniferous-Early Cretaceous sequences of the Aladağ tectonic unit, exposed as tectonic slices of the Central Taurides around the Aydıncık area. The sequences correspond to the uppermost allochtonous unit, and known as Hadim Nappe. In the area, the stratigraphic sequence of the Aladağ Unit begins by Asarlıkyaylası formation with Upper Devonian which made up dolomitic limestone, with abundant macrofossil (as coral , crinoid and brachiopod) limestone, quartzite and shale. The Upper Devonian sequences are covered with Carboniferous aged Yarıcak formation, which contains, at the bottom, limestone lenses including plentiful with fossils of fusulinid, coral , crinoid and brachiopod (Yarıcak formation) and continues with alternations of limestone and quartzite with plentiful micro-macro fossil. The Arpalık formation is represented by oncholitic limestones formed by Girvenella algal at the bottom, and limestone containing abundant crinoid and fusulinid with psammitic carbonate intercalations at the top. The Arpalık formation underlied the Yarıcak formation conformably, overlied by Late Permian Kuşakdağı formation disconformably. At the bottom, the Kuşakdağı formation starts with quartzite, and continues with limestones including abundant algal, rare foraminifera and macrofossil with shale-quartzite intercalations. Early Triassic Gökçepınar formation is made up of oolitic-stratmatolithic limestone, and conformably overlied the Late Permian sequences. At the top, Gökçepinar formation shows transition to Early-Middle Triassic the Göztaşı formation with shales, marls and bivalve fossilliferous argillaceous limestone. The fully deposits were covered with an angular unconformity by deposits with terrestrial, semi- terrestrial character during Early-Middle Jurassic, which were possibly resulted from folding and uplifting processes by the Early Cimmerian tectonic phase. Earli-Middle Jurassic terrestrial Çamiçi formation is made of red color, cross-bedded conglomerate-sandstone-mudstone with lignite interbands, which is covered by Middle-Late Jurassic Dedebeleni formation including mudstone, shale, argillaceous limestone and dolomitic limestone intercalations, with semi-terrestrial character. Stratigraphic sequence of Aladag unit in the region ends with Late Jurassic-Late Cretaceous Cihandede formation, which is made up by dolomite, limestone with dolomite and limestone formed in a shallow carbonate shelf environment. The Cihandere formation was covered by the Hasancık formation as conformable, is represented by pelagic sequences with chert-clay-silt-carbonates. In the Aydıncık area the whole sequences were covered by the Mut formation (Burdigalian aged) as unconformable, is represented by neritic carbonates . All rocks units of the region are unconformable covered by Holocene alluviums.