No surface breaking on the Ecemiş Fault, central Turkey, since Late Pleistocene (~64.5ka); new geomorphic and geochronologic data from cosmogenic dating of offset alluvial fans

The Ecemiş Fault Zone (EF) has been recognized as a major left lateral strike-slip fault in the Central Anatolian Fault Zone (CAFZ) of Turkey. However, its Quaternary slip-rate has been challenging to determine due to the difficulty of dating offset markers. Using high-precision offset measurements and 36Cl cosmogenic nuclide dating, we present the first geochronologically determined Late Quaternary slip-rate for the EF. Our study focuses on the excellent exposures of offset alluvial fan surfaces, originating from the Aladağlar, a Late Quaternary glaciated mountain. Analysis of airborne orthophotogrametry and GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) surveys indicates 168±2m left lateral and 31±1m vertical displacements. In-situ terrestrial cosmogenic 36Cl geochronology obtained from eleven surface boulders provides a minimum abandonment/incision age of 104.2±16.5ka for the oldest offset alluvial fan surface. Our geomorphic observations together with Self-potential geophysical surveys revealed the presence of an unfaulted alluvial fan terrace, which allows us to constrain the timing of deformation. The abandonment/incision age of this fan is 64.5±5.6ka based on thirteen 36Cl depth profile samples. Accordingly, we obtained a geologic fault slip-rate of 4.2±1.9mma−1 horizontally and 0.8±0.3mma−1 vertically for the time frame between 104.2±16.5ka and 64.5±5.6ka. Our analysis indicates that the EF has not been producing a major surface breaking earthquake on the main strand at least since 64.5±5.6ka (mid-Late Pleistocene). This could be the result of abandonment of the main strand and accommodation of deformation by other faults within the EF. Nevertheless, a recently occurred (30 September 2011) low magnitude (ML: 4.3) left lateral strike-slip earthquake indicates recent seismic activity of the EF. Comparison of the recent GPS velocity field with the longer slip history along the CAFZ indicates a constant but low strain release without surface breaking and very long large earthquake recurrence intervals. [Display omitted] •Offset alluvial fans were dated with cosmogenic 36Cl in the Ecemiş Fault Zone.•An offset fan (~104.2ka) was displaced 168±2m horizontally and 31±1m vertically.•An unfaulted alluvial fan terrace gave a 64.5±5.6ka abandonment age.•Quaternary horizontal and vertical slip-rates are 4.2±1.9mma−1 and 0.8±0.3mma−1.•No surface break faulting occurred at least for the last 64.5±5.6ka.