Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Delta formation at the southern entrance of Istanbul Strait (Marmara sea, Turkey): a new interpretation based on high-resolution seismic stratigraphy

  • Original
  • Published:
Geo-Marine Letters Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A detailed stratigraphic investigation based on high-resolution seismic profiles revealed that the delta at the southern entrance of the Istanbul Strait consists of three parasequence sets. The lowermost parasequence shows a sea-level stillstand at the beginning of the lowstand systems tract, possibly at 11,000±1,100 a b.p., whereas the upper two parasequences reflect deposition at lowstand and during the subsequent transgression. A maximum flooding surface may be developing on the delta at present. The delta is located on the eastern side of the Istanbul Strait canyon, with east–west prograding parasequences. The development of the delta is clearly associated with the Kurbağalı Stream on the east coast, and not with the Black Sea outflow through the strait. The geometry of the delta indicates a radial architecture arranged from northeast to southwest.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aksu AE, Hiscott RN, Yaşar D (1999) Oscillating quaternary water levels of the Marmara Sea and vigorous outflow into the Aegean Sea from the Marmara Sea-Black Sea drainage corridor. Mar Geol 153:275–302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aksu AE, Hiscott RN, Yaşar D, Işler FI, Marsh S (2002a) Seismic stratigraphy of Late Quaternary deposits from the southwestern Black Sea shelf: evidence for non-catastrophic variations in sea-level during the last 10,000 year. Mar Geol 190(1–2):61–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aksu AE, Hiscott RN, Kaminsky MA, Mudie PJ, Gillespie H, Abrajano T, Yaşar D (2002b) Last glacial–Holocene paleoceanography of the Black Sea and Marmara Sea: stable isotopic, foraminiferal and coccolith evidence. Mar Geol 190(1–2):119–149

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alavi SN, Okyar M, Timur K (1989) Late Quaternary sedimentation in the Strait of Bosphorus: high resolution seismic profiling. Mar Geol 89:185–205

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Çağatay MN, Görür N, Algan O, Eastoe C, Tchapalyga A, Ongan D, Kuhn T, Kuşçu İ (2000) Last glacial-Holocene paleoceanography of the Sea of Marmara: timing of the last connections with the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Mar Geol 167:191–206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coe AL, Church KD (2003) The sedimentary record of sea-level change. In: Coe AL (ed) Sequence stratigraphy and sea-level change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 57–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Demirbağ E, Gökaşan E, Oktay FY, Şimşek M, Yüce H (1999) The last sea level changes in the Black Sea: evidence from the seismic data. Mar Geol 157:249–265

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ergin M, Kazancı N, Varol B, İleri Ö, Karadenizli L (1997) Sea-level changes and related depositional environments on the southern Marmara shelf. Mar Geol 140:391–403

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gökaşan E, Demirbağ E, Oktay FY, Ecevitoğlu B, Şimşek M, Yüce H (1997) On the origin of the Bosphorus. Mar Geol 140:183–199

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gökaşan E, Gazioğlu C, Alpar B, Yücel ZY, Ersoy Ş, Gündoğdu O, Yaltırak C, Tok B (2002) Evidences of NW extension of the North Anatolian Fault Zone in the Marmara Sea; a new approach to the 17 August 1999 Marmara Sea earthquake. Geo Mar Lett 21:183–199

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gunnerson CG, Özturgut E (1974) The Bosporus. In: Degens ET, Ross DA (eds) The Black Sea—geology, chemistry and biology. AAPG Bull 20:99–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Hiscott RN, Aksu AE, Yaşar D, Kaminski MA, Mudie PJ, Kostylev VE, MacDonald JC, Işler FI, Lord AR (2002) Deltas south of the Bosphorus Strait record persistent Black Sea outflow to the Marmara Sea since 10 ka. Mar Geol 190(1–2):95–118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaminsky MA, Aksu AE, Box M, Hiscott RN, Yaşar D, Filipescu S, Al-Salameen M (2002) Late glacial to Holocene benthic foraminifera in the Marmara Sea: implications for Black Sea-Mediterranean Sea connections following the last deglaciation. Mar Geol 190(1–2):165–202

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meriç E, Oktay FY, Sakınç M, Gülen D, Ediger VŞ, Meriç N, özdoğan M (1991) Sedimentary, geology and paleontology of Kuşdili (Kadiköy, Istanbul) Quaternary (in Turkish). CÜ Eng Bull A Earth Sci 8(1):83–91

    Google Scholar 

  • Oktay FY, Sakınç M (1991) The Late Quaternary tectonics of the Istanbul Graben and the origin of the Bosphorus. EUG 6, Strasbourg, Terra Abstr 3(1):351

    Google Scholar 

  • Oktay FY, Gökaşan E, Sakınç M, Yaltırak C, İmren C, Demirbağ E (2002) The effect of North Anatolian Fault Zone to the latest connection between Black Sea and Sea of Marmara. Mar Geol 190(1–2):367–382

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan WBF, Pitman WC (1999) Noah’s flood: the new scientific discoveries about the event that changed history. Simon and Schuster, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Ryan BFW, Pitman WC III, Major CO, Shimkus K, Moskalenko V, Jones GA, Dimitrov P, Görür N, Sakınç M, Yüce H (1997) An abrupt drowning of the Black Sea shelf. Mar Geol 138:119–126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stanley DJ, Blanpied C (1980) Late Quaternary water exchange between the eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea. Nature 285:537–541

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ünsal İ, Rosso A, Meriç E, Avşar N, Çetin O (2002) Palaeoecology of the Upper Pleistocene–Holocene bryozoan and foraminiferal assemblages from Kuşdili (Kadiköy, Istanbul, Turkey). Geobios 35:735–743

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Research Foundation of Istanbul University with Grants 75/15052003. We thank the Turkish Navy, Department of Navigation, Hydrography and Oceanography, and the personnel of the R/V T.C.G. çubuklu for their enthusiasm and care during seismic data collection.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Erkan Gökaşan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gökaşan, E., Algan, O., Tur, H. et al. Delta formation at the southern entrance of Istanbul Strait (Marmara sea, Turkey): a new interpretation based on high-resolution seismic stratigraphy. Geo-Mar Lett 25, 370–377 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00367-005-0215-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00367-005-0215-4

Keywords

Navigation