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General Assambly of European Geosciences Union, France, 1 - 04 April 2004, (Full Text)
Recent bathymetric surveys give us to understand morphological features of the
Marmara Sea. Marmara Sea has unique and complex morphological features and
active tectonics. In this study morphologic features of major submarine landslides of
the Marmara Sea were studied using advanced visualization and geomatic systems
(DTM, GIS, Image Processing Systems, High Resolution Seismic and Bathymetric
Data).
The high angle continental slopes of the Marmara Sea can be produce submarine
landslides and slumps which have potential tsunamis generations. In this study,
tectonically active major submarine landslides were investigated in the Marmara Sea.
Three of them are observed along the slopes, one is on the Eastern Ridge and the fifth
one forms the Western Ridge of the Marmara Sea. They are interpreted as rotational
and translational slides, debris flows, and mudflows controlled by slope and tectonic
activity. On the northern slope of Çınarcık Basin, rotational slide and
debris flows, which are activated by faults, affect the current shape of this slope.
Hence, we interpret that the present morphology of the slopes of the Marmara Sea
may not be only controlled by faults but also the landslides. On the other hand, mudflows
in Tekirdağ Basin and in the Marmara Sea entrance of İzmit Bay
(Çınarcık Basin) may be controlled by slope inclination and sediment
supply rather than tectonic. Another mudflow on the Eastern Ridge initiated by the
inclination of the ridge by a reverse fault in the NW side of the ridge, thus, slope
inclination controlled by tectonic activity affects the origination of this landslide.
One of the largest landslides in the Marmara Sea and it forms the Western Ridge as
translational slide. Its initial shape has been destroyed by the new rupture of the North
Anatolian Fault Zone, thus, it may be one of the oldest submarine landslides of the
Marmara Sea.