The geochronology of the ophiolitic and the granitic rocks along the Southeast Anatolian orogenic belt

The scope of this study is to find out (i) the formation age of SSZ-type crust along the south branch of Neotethys, (ii) the timing of the initiation of the closure of the ocean, (iii) the timing of the continent-continent collision and (iv) the velocity of the collision by measuring the formation, cooling and exhumation ages of the magmatic units along the Southeast Anatolian Orogenic Belt using geothermochronological tools.Southeast Anatolian Orogenic Belt is one of the best places where mountain building processes can be well observed. The evolution of the belt comprises the closure of the south branch of the Neotethys during Upper Cretaceous ? Miocene time span and formation of high plato as a result of continent-continent collision. The Troodos-Kızıldağ-Koçali-Semail ophiolites (95-90 Ma) formed peri-Arabian belt, whereas Göksun-İspendere-Kömürhan-Guleman ophiolites (84-87 Ma) formed the Toride belt ophiolites. There is an age difference of ~5-7 Ma between the formation of the two oceanic crusts. While the peri-Arabian belt ophiolites obduct on the crust during 85-65 Ma, the Toride belt ophiolites, intruded by arc volcanics (Esence-Baskil), subducted beneath the Toride active margin before ~82-84 Ma. During Early-Middle Eocene period the region opened in a back-arc basin setting. The Berit metaophiolite had its maximum metamorhism and was exhumed during 52-50 Ma. Doğanşehir granitoyid formed in a multi stage process during Middle Eocene and intruded into Berit metaophiolite and nappes. The uplift of the granitoids were continueing during Eocene period whereas the exhumation of the granitoids took place during Burdigalian ? Messinian period.