Geometry and Paleoseismology of the Malatya Fault (Malatya-Ovacık Fault Zone), Eastern Turkey: Implications for intraplate deformation of the Anatolian Scholle

• DOI: 10.1007/s10950-018-9808-z
• Publication Date: 2018-12-08T13:54:57Z
• Authors: Taylan Sançar; Cengiz Zabcı; Volkan Karabacak; Müge Yazıcı; H. Serdar Akyüz
• Keywords: Paleoseismology; Transform fault

The sinistral Malatya-Ovacık Fault Zone (MOFZ) is one of the outstanding intraplate deformation belts within Anatolia. 165-km-long, NE–SW-striking Malatya (MF), which constitutes southern section MOFZ, separated into five segments according to its surface geometry. These have evident morphotectonic features that reflect long- and short-term fault activity, such as morphologic structures offset by little 7 m much 7.3 km. This study provides results from first paleoseismological investigations on MF. We find last earthquake occurred between 965 549 BCE calculate a recurrence interval 2275 ± 605 years evidence for four paleo-events over 10 ka. Considering segmentation our data, we propose accumulated strain MF may cause destructive (M = 7.4) in near future. Our support hypotheses other NW-striking dextral NE-striking strike-slip faults eastern part Anatolia are plate boundary-related, active deformational structures.