Active tectonics and kinematic architecture of intraplate strike-slip fault: Savrun fault zone, SE Türkiye

Türkiye is a unique country whose deformation pattern has been formulated in terms of three main plates Eurasia, Africa, Arabia and microplate Anatolian that are actively moving in recent time. This variety creates a giant fault network defining the plate boundaries and intraplate faults. Savrun Fault Zone (SFZ) is one of the intraplate strike-slip faults near west of the 2023 earthquakes area and many controversies have arisen about its activeness. In this study, it is investigated and reported on the geometric, structural, and kinematic characteristics of the SFZ based on field measurements of fault-slip data. At least two different deformation phases have been recognized in the geological evolution of the SFZ; older NNE-SSW compressional tectonic up to Middle Pliocene and the youngest strike-slip regime created by N-S compression and E-W extensional direction. According to the results, SFZ is a reactivated reverse fault and its the present-day configuration is an active sinistral strike-slip architecture comprising three segments (north, middle and east) and two contractional stepovers reflecting strong geomorphic indicators marked by strike parallel fault valley.