The North Anatolian Fault; landforms associated with strike-slip deformation

23–24 November 2021

Participation Fee:

Leader: Cengiz Yıldırım, Eurasia Institute of Earth Sciences, ITU, Istanbul, Turkey

This two-day field trip will take place along the North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ), one of the most well known strike-slip faults on the globe. We will visit several key localities where the 1999 earthquake surface ruptures are visible. This 7.4 Mw earthquake claimed more than 20.000 lives around İzmit area, less than 100 km east of İstanbul. For the night, we will stay in one of the oldest and well-preserved villages of Turkey. Safranbolu is a town in the Black Sea region of northern Turkey, once a stop on the trade route between Europe and the Orient, and now classified as a UNESCO world heritage site. Its Ottoman architecture includes hundreds of preserved, red-roofed Ottoman houses on cobblestone streets. The next day we will visit several localities related to transpressional deformation along the NAF. Significant points will include rock uplift and incision outcrops related to the Anatolia Plateau uplift.

The field trip guidebook will be available for download in summer 2021. The itinerary will include the following stops:

Day 1 (Tuesday, 23 November 2021):

• 09:00 Departure from the conference venue (Metro M2: ITU Stop) at Istanbul Technical University (ITU Ayazağa/Maslak Campus)
• 10:30–11:30 1999 İzmit Earthquake Rupture-Kullar (>20.000 casualties in August 1999)
• 12:30–13:30 Lunch break
• 13:30–15:00 1999 Düzce Earthquake Rupture
• 16:00–17:00 1944 Gerede Earthquake Rupture
• 17:30–18:00 İsmet Paşa Creep
• 19:00 Stay at hotel in Safranbolu (a UNESCO World heritage village)

Day 2 (Wednesday, 24 November 2021): Transpressional Deformation: landforms associated with rock uplift

• 09:30 Depart from Safranbolu
• 10.00–11.00 Safranbolu crystal terrace view point stop: regional incision
• 11.30–13.00 Filyos River Gorge: Strath Terraces
• 13.00–14.00 Lunch break
• 14.30–15.30 Filyos River Gorge: Fill Terraces
• 15.30–20.00 Drive back to İstanbul (arrival at ITU Ayazağa Campus)

Cappadocia, Anatolian Plateau

28 November – 02 December 2021

Participation Fee:

Leader: Attila Çiner, Eurasia Institute of Earth Sciences, ITU, Istanbul, Turkey

This four-day field trip will take place in Cappadocia, in the middle of the Anatolian Plateau, famous for its volcanism, unique landscape and unusual rock formations. The trip will start in İstanbul, and along the way to Ankara, we will have several occasions to see the surface ruptures related to 1999, 7.4 Mw earthquake that devastated İzmit town and surroundings. On the way to Cappadocia, we will also have the opportunity to visit Tuz Gölü (Salt Lake) Fault and several other interesting geological formations that are beautifully exposed in the south of Ankara.

The development of Cappadocia landscape dates back to Late Miocene epoch (circa 10 million years) when volcanoes spread pyroclastic deposits over an area of 20.000 km2. The volcanism continued for several millions of years and laid down thick and colourful ignimbrite layers. The Cappadocian landscape's evolution starts with gently sloping plateaus, which are then dissected, usually along cooling fractures, to form mushroom-like structures known locally as "fairy chimneys". Several millennia humans used these volcanic formations to build cave houses (troglodytes) and even underground cities. Kızılırmak River, the longest fluvial system of Turkey, also deposited numerous terraces because of the Anatolian Plateau's continuing uplift.

Several stops are planned to appreciate the beauty of the landscapes and learn about their uplift, incision and erosion rates. We also plan to visit the Taurus Mountain Range, only 100 km south of Cappadocia, and see glacial moraines and alluvial fans cut and offset by the Ecemiş Fault Zone. Cosmogenic surface dating of the alluvial fans allow calculations of slip rates and recurrence intervals of the Ecemiş Fault. Dating glacial moraines also gives insight into paleoclimate reconstructions since the Last Glacial Maximum, 20.000 years ago.

The field trip guidebook will be available for download in summer 2021. The itinerary will include the following stops:

Day 1 (Sunday, 28 November 2021): Departure after lunch from the conference venue at ITU, Istanbul to Ankara at 14:00

• North Anatolian Fault stops along the road.
• Dinner stop on the road.
• Arrival to Ankara hotel around 21:00.

Day 2 (Monday, 29 November 2021): Departure from Ankara to Cappadocia at 9:00

• Central Anatolia geology highligts: ophiolites, volcanics, continental red beds, other sedimentary units.
• Tuz Gölü (Salt Lake) Fault Zone / Salt Lake geotouristic visit.
• Lunch at Orhan Ağaçlı Restaurant (Aksaray town).
• Cappadocia Volcanic Province volcanics (Hasandağ Volcano, monogenic volcanoes, maars, etc.)
• Arrival to Ürgüp (3 night stay at hotel). Dinner at the hotel

Day 3 (Tuesday, 30 November 2021): Cappadocia geology

• Baloon flight (optional): very early morning departure at 6:00 and back at 9:00.
• Field trip departure at 10:00.
• Ürgüp fairy chimneys and Ignimbrite Stratigraphy at Red Valley.
• Uçhisar-Göreme towns.
• Lunch at Göreme.
• Kızılırmak River fluvial terraces and incision rates.
• Avanos and Potery making shops.
• Zelve open air museum.
• Paşabağ fairy chimney formation process and erosion rates.
• Dinner at the hotel.

Day 4 (Wednesday, 1 December 2021): Mt Aladağlar

• Departure at 9:00 (1-hour visit): Ürgüp-Derinkuyu underground city (45 min).
• Derinkuyu-Çamardı (Mt Aladağlar) (1 h).
• Alabalık Restaurant (1:30 h).
• Ecemiş Fault (1:30 h).
• Emli Valley (glacio/fluvial deposits) (2 h).
• Back to Ürgüp (2h (Mt Erciyes) depending on alternative roads).
• Dinner at the hotel.

Day 5 (Thursday, 2 December 2021): Departure after breakfast from Ürgüp to Kayseri airport (1 hour)

• Morning departure from Kayseri to Istanbul.
• Tickets should be bought well in advance using Turkish airlines (www.thy.com.tr) or Pegasus Airlines (www.flypgs.com).
• The alternative airport is Nevşehir (equal distance to Cappadocia hotel but less frequent flights and only Turkish airlines operating).

• Field-trip guides will be available online on 31 Augsut 2021.
• Online registration to the field trips will open on 10 July 2021 and close on 20 August 2021 (see Important Dates and Registration).
• Payment is due immediately after receipt of field trip registration confirmation.
• Your field trip slot(s) will not be confirmed until payment is received before the deadline of 15 October 2021.
• All payment must be made by online payment or bank transfer to the account on the registration confirmation.
• Field trips do not involve extended walking.
• Each field trip can accommodate a fixed number of people.
• We recommend registering as soon as possible after 10 July 2021 since some field trips fill up fast.
• When the maximum number has been reached, you will be placed on a waiting list.
• If the minimum number of participants is not reached, we reserve the right to cancel the trip.
• If a field trip is cancelled we will return payment to you at the conference registration desk.
• If you cancel before 20 August 2021, we will return payment to you at the conference registration desk.
• No refund will be granted to no-shows.
• Field-trip registration fee covers local transportation and hotel stay for all field-trip nights.
• Meals and drinks will be included during all field-trip days.
• We will provide a list of items you should bring on the day of the trip after the registration deadline of 20 August 2021.
• We maintain a fleet of specially equipped vehicles (per field trip) with professional drivers for exclusive use during field trips and excursions.
• Please contact us for more information if you have further questions (contact@medgu.org).