ISSN:
1573-0581
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Geosciences
,
Physics
Notes:
Abstract Seismic reflection and gravity data show the eastern Mediterranean Sea to be evolving into several basins as a result of differential vertical movements. The Levantine Basin and deeper Herodotus Basin are separated by a buried ridge (horst? or faulted geanticline?) lying west of Eratosthenes Seamount, which in turn is the more elevated part of a northeast-trending geanticline truncated along its eastern flank by a graben. To the east, gravity trends in the Levantine Basin are parallel to the graben. These features and trends are similar to those seen on land in Egypt and the Levant and imply continuity of structure offshore. Combined with other geological and geophysical information the observations suggest that the eastern Mediterranean crust is the marginal extension of the African continental crust. Although the character of the Florence Rise and Anaximander Mountains, the northward tilting and subsidence of the Antalya and Finike Basins, and the apparent continuation of the Strabo Trench south of the Florence Rise suggest underthrusting of the Turkish plate by Africa, there may be insufficient seismicity. There is no active volcanic arc, and the trench is too poorly developed to confirm active subduction as the sole manifestation of plate convergence. Normal subduction probably ended within the past 5 m.y. with the disappearance of all oceanic crust between Turkey and Africa. Plate convergence continues with only limited underthrusting of Africa along the Cypriot Arc, but with regional deformation along zones of weakness within a wide (300 km?) band stretching from the Herodotus Basin to the east along the northern edge of the African and Arabian plates.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00285658
Permalink