The Central Pontides of N Turkey represents a mobile orogenic belt of the southern Eurasian margin that experienced several phases of exhumation associated with the consumption of different branches of the Neo‐Tethys Ocean and the amalgamation of continental domains. Our new low‐temperature thermochronology data help to constrain the timing of these episodes, providing new insights into associated geodynamic processes. In particular, our data suggest that exhumation occurred at (1) ~110 to 90 Ma, most likely during tectonic accretion and exhumation of metamorphic rocks from the subduction zone; (2) from ~60 to 40 Ma, during the collision of the Kirşehir and Anatolide‐Tauride microcontinental domains with the Eurasian margin; (3) from ~40 to 25 Ma, either during the early stages of the Arabia‐Eurasia collision (soft collision) when the Arabian passive margin reached the trench, implying 70 to 530 km of subduction of the Arabian passive margin, or during a phase of trench advance predating hard collision at ~20 Ma; and (4) ~11 Ma to the present, during transpression associated with the westward motion of Anatolia. Our findings document the punctuated nature of fault‐related exhumation, with episodes of fast cooling followed by periods of slow cooling or subsidence, the role of inverted normal faults in controlling the Paleogene exhumation pattern, and of the North Anatolian Fault in dictating the most recent pattern of exhumation.

Western Anatolia is one of the world’s most seismically active regions. A nearly N–S-oriented extension caused the formation of E–W- and NE–SW-trending major grabens, creating the potential for earthquakes with magnitudes ≥ 5. The fault segments of the NE-trending Çameli Basin were evaluated using geomorphic indices, common tools for assessment of relative tectonic activity in such areas. Quantitative measurement of geomorphic indices including mountain-front sinuosity (Smf; 1.35–2.39), valley floor width-to-height ratios (Vf; 0.08‒0.37), and hypsometric integral (HI; 0.31–1.05) suggest relatively higher tectonic activity along western and southern part of the basin. Hypsometric curves for all segments of the faults mostly exhibit concave or straight profiles, signifying existence of young mountain fronts in the Çameli Basin. These calculations indicate that the Çameli Basin is tectonically active and, southern/south-western areas of this depression have earthquake potential, consistent with epicentres of recent earthquakes, occurred along some fault segments. Possible reason of this activity seems to be related to the E–W-trending corridor lying between the Gulf of Gökova and south-eastern part of the Çameli Basin, represented by active normal faults. These findings should be valid beyond the Çameli Basin for similar situations along the Isparta Angle’s western margin.

The role of oroclinal bending in the structural evolution of the Central Anatolian Plateau: evidence of a regional changeover from shortening to extension: The NW-SE striking extensional Inönü-Eskişehir Fault System is one of the most important active shear zones in Central Anatolia. This shear zone is comprised of semi-independent fault segments that constitute an integral array of crustal-scale faults that transverse the interior of the Anatolian plateau region. The WNW striking Eskişehir Fault Zone constitutes the western to central part of the system. Toward the southeast, this system splays into three fault zones. The NW striking Ilıca Fault Zone defines the northern branch of this splay. The middle and southern branches are the Yeniceoba and Cihanbeyli Fault Zones, which also constitute the western boundary of the tectonically active extensional Tuzgölü Basin. The Sultanhanı Fault Zone is the southeastern part of the system and also controls the southewestern margin of the Tuzgölü Basin. Structural observations and kinematic analysis of mesoscale faults in the Yeniceoba and Cihanbeyli Fault Zones clearly indicate a two-stage deformation history and kinematic changeover from contraction to extension. N-S compression was responsible for the development of the dextral Yeniceoba Fault Zone. Activity along this structure was superseded by normal faulting driven by NNE-SSW oriented tension that was accompanied by the reactivation of the Yeniceoba Fault Zone and the formation of the Cihanbeyli Fault Zone. The branching of the Inönü-Eskişehir Fault System into three fault zones (aligned with the apex of the Isparta Angle) and the formation of graben and halfgraben in the southeastern part of this system suggest ongoing asymmetric extension in the Anatolian Plateau. This extension is compatible with a clockwise rotation of the area, which may be associated with the eastern sector of the Isparta Angle, an oroclinal structure in the western central part of the plateau. As the initiation of extension in the central to southeastern part of the Inönü-Eskişehir Fault System has similarities with structures associated with the Isparta Angle, there may be a possible relationship between the active deformation and bending of the orocline and adjacent areas.

The Suleiman Fold-Thrust Belt represents an active deformational front at the western margin of the Indian plate and has been a locus of major earthquakes. This study focuses on the western part of the Suleiman Fold-Thrust Belt that comprises two parallel NW–SE oriented faults: Harnai Fault and Karahi Fault. These faults have known thrust components; however, there remains uncertainty about the lateral component of motion. This work presents the new observation of surface deformation using the Small Baseline Subset (SBAS), Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) technique on Sentinel-1A datasets to decompose displacement into the vertical and horizontal components employing ascending and descending track geometries. The subsurface structural geometry of this area was assessed using 2D seismic and well data. In addition, geomorphic indices were calculated to assess the relative tectonic activity of the area. InSAR results show that the Karahi Fault has a ~15 mm right-lateral movement for descending and ~10 mm/for ascending path geometries. The Harnai Fault does not show any lateral movement. Seismic data are in agreement with the InSAR results suggesting that the Harnai Fault is a blind thrust. This work indicates that the block between these two faults displays a clockwise rotation that creates the “bookshelf model”.

The Aksu Basin, within the Isparta Angle, is located to the north of the intersection of the Aegean and Cyprus arcs and has been evolving since the Middle Miocene. Correlation of: (1) kinematic analysis of fault planes that cut the basin fill, (2) the reactivation/inversion of fault planes and (3) sedimentological data indicate that the Aksu Basin has evolved by four alternating compressional and extensional tectonic phases since its formation. The first phase was NW-SE oriented compression caused by the emplacement of the Lycian Nappe units which ended in Langhian. This compressional phase that induced the formation and the initial deformation of the basin was followed by a NW-SE extensional phase. This tectonic phase prevailed between the Langhian and Messinian and was terminated by a NE-SW compressional regime known as the Aksu Phase. The neotectonic period is characterized by NE-SW extension and began in the Late Pliocene. Correlation with the existing tectonic literature shows that the order of deformational phases proposed in this study might also be valid for the entire Isparta Angle area.