The neotectonics of southeast Turkey, northern Syria, and Iraq: The internal structure of the Southeast Anatolian Wedge and its relationship with recent earthquakes

Abstract

In southeastern Turkey, northern Syria, and Iraq, the Southeast Anatolian Wedge (SEAW) is recognized as lying between the high altitude Bitlis-Zagros Suture Zone and the Sincar Mountains on the Mesopotamian plain. This wedge narrows towards the south and contains several thrust and blind thrust zones merging with the basal thrust zone. These zones are determined mainly by locations of fault-propagation folding that generally limit the Plio-Quaternary/Quaternary plains in the region. The positions of these active thrust/blind thrust zones and their relationships to the right and left lateral faults may be used to explain the seismic activity of the region.