The Quaternary Climatic and Tectonic Development of the Murat River Valley (Mus Basin, Eastern Turkey) as Recorded by Fluvial Deposits Dated by Optically Stimulated Luminescence

Avşin N., Erturaç M. K., Şahiner E., Demir T.

QUATERNARY, cilt.4, sa.3, 2021 (ESCI) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 4 Sayı: 3
  • Basım Tarihi: 2021
  • Doi Numarası: 10.3390/quat4030029
  • Dergi Adı: QUATERNARY
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus, Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: river terrace, OSL dating, Murat River, Mus Basin, Turkey, TERRACE STAIRCASE, REGIONAL UPLIFT, WESTERN TURKEY, VEGETATION, ANATOLIA, SYSTEMS, EVOLUTION, PLIOCENE, EUROPE
  • Van Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

The paper describes climatic and tectonic effects on fluvial processes of East Anatolia. This study from the Mus Basin contains three alluvial terrace levels (T3-T1) ranging from 30-35 m to 3-5 m above the present Murat River in its middle section. In order to provide a chronology for the evaluation of the significant, effects of climatic changes and tectonic uplift, we used optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of the river deposits of the youngest (T3) and medium terrace (T2). The ages from these terrace deposits show that the T3 has formed approximately 6.5 ka ago, i.e., during the last part of the Holocene (MIS 1) and T2 has formed nearly 25 ka ago, i.e., during MIS 2 at the ending of the last glacial period. According to these results, it appears that the Murat River established its terrace sequences both in cold and warm periods. The variations in climate oriented fluvial evolution between the East Anatolia fluvial system and the temperate-periglacial fluvial systems in Europe may be the conclusion of different vegetation cover and melting thicker snow coverings in cold periods.