Tectonic history of basins sited along the western section of the North Anatolian Fault System, Turkey

Geological and geomorphological features of basins along the western half of the North Anatolian Fault System (NAFS) are used to constrain the formation of these basins by localization of deformation and the total displacement, and to determine the timing of basin development. In this study, tectonic influence direction of the NAFS on tectonic and hydrologic basins Bolu, Yeniçaǧa, Dörtdivan, Çerkes, Ilgaz and Tosya has been investigated to deduce information about the formation stages and interaction between these areas by using the GIS techniques. This research has been carried out by two different approaches; first is the comparison of main tilt directions of the basins determined by means of the basin slope frequency differences on opposite sides of the basin margins, and secondly, orientations of basins with respect to NAFS are investigated. The analyses and the stratigraphic correlations of the basins indicate that tectonic influence of NAFS on the tectonic and hydrologic basins has diverse characteristics. Main tilt direction of Bolu, Yeniçaǧa, Dörtdivan, Çerkes tectonic and hydrologic basins are similar to each other. However, in Ilgaz and Tosya basins main tilt direction differs for tectonic versus hydrologic basins differs from each other. Slope frequency differences of tectonic and hydrologic basins indicate consistency with main orientation of basins regarding main trace of the NAFS except Yeniçaǧa basin.