Turkish Ancient Marine Systems (TAMS) 

The former Turbidites Research Group at the University of Aberdeen initiated pioneering research, which continues with the Turkish Ancient Marine Systems (TAMS) project. The TAMS project aims to deepen our understanding of sedimentary processes and deposits within several ancient marine basins of Turkey.

In the southeastern region of Turkey, specifically in the Kahramanmaraş basin, lies an extraordinary geological treasure: an exposed continuous stratigraphic sequence of an ancient slope channel system spanning over 5 km (more than 4 km of true vertical thickness). This sequence showcases channelized elements and mass transport complexes dating back to the Middle-Upper Miocene. These deposits coincide with the final stages of the closure of the Neotethys Ocean, as the Arabian and Anatolian plates underwent continental collision. This collision led to the emplacement of allochthonous units over the Arabian Platform and the development of several independent marine basins along the Assyrian suture zone, including the Adana Basin, Elaziğ Basin, and Kahramanmaraş Basin.

Our findings reveal a complex array of channelized elements with diverse 3D geometries, fill architectures, spatial relationships, and pathways. One of the most astonishing channel fills has approximately 2.5 km in width and 300 m in depth at its axis, standing as one of the largest and best-preserved channel fills worldwide. This large channel fill, or canyon-fill if preferred, traverses previous channel complexes and mostly consists of conglomeratic sandstones.

The TAMS project focuses on mapping, logging, and describing the sedimentary architectures of the Alikayası slope-channel system but also lobe deposits in the same Maras Basin and outside, in the Adana Basin. In the Adana basin, two small sandy fan systems, the Eastern and Western fans, stand out, characterized by well-exposed turbidite-dominated sandy frontal splays (i.e., lobe complexes).

Through the TAMS project, we aspire not only to expand our understanding of ancient marine systems but also to elucidate the geological history of Turkey's southeastern region.

The Alikayasy System: one of the best exposed slope channel complex on Earth