Problems of Stratigraphic Correlation and New K-Ar Data for Ignimbrites from Cappadocia, Central Turkey

Abstract

Extensive calc-alkaline ignimbrite volcanism occurred in Central Anatolia since the late Miocene. At least eight major and two minor rhyolitic nonwelded and welded deposits can be identified within the Ürgüp Basin and on the adjacent Nevsehir Plateau in the Central volcanic province. They are separated from one another by Plinian pumice, surge deposits of individual eruptions, and extensive secondary volcaniclastic sediments. Although exposures in the study area between Nevsehir and the Sultansazligi depression are excellent, disconnected outcrops resulting from recent and paleotopographic as well as young volcanic and sedimentary cover have led to controversial interpretations of the stratigraphic succession, especially in the upper part.

Rockfall at the heritage site of the Tatlarin Underground City (Cappadocia, Turkey)

“…Thus, this member constitutes the basal portion of the volcano-sedimentary sequence (Ulusay et al 2006). The Kavak ignimbrites have a volume of *80 km 3 distributed over a *2600 km 2 area (Le Pennec et al 1994), and the member was subdivided into multiple subunits (Mues-Schumacher and Schumacher 1996;Le Pennec et al 2005;Aydar et al 2012). In the study area, four different tuff levels belonging to Kavak member are observed from bottom to top: reddish poor welded tuffs, yellowish-gray tuffs, sandstone-claystone alternations and welded beige tuffs (Fig.…”

Estimation of engineering properties of selected tuffs by using grain/matrix ratio

“…In several places the tuff is observed to be totally welded. In other places, however, the lower one of the two flow units is non-welded (Schumacher and Schumacher, 1996). The Kızılkaya samples referred to as KZ2, KZ3 and KZ6 are collected from the lower flow unit.…”

Fairy chimney erosion rates on Cappadocia ignimbrites, Turkey: Insights from cosmogenic nuclides

“…The ignimbrites and intercalated lava flows were first described by Pasquarè (1968) followed by many others, and the stratigraphy was further refined by numerical ages obtained by using various dating techniques (Innocenti et al, 1975;Pasquarè et al, 1988;Le Pennec et al 1994Mues-Schumacher and Schumacher, 1996;Temel et al, 1998;Aydar et al, 2012). Because it incorporates complementary geochronological data (eruption age based on 40 Ar/ 39 Ar in plagioclase and crystallization ages based on 206 Pb/ 238 U in zircon), we used recently updated stratigraphy where Aydar et al (2012) define ten ignimbrite sequences, following the terminology outlined in Le Pennec et al (1994) (Fig.…”