The Cenozoic geology and the present lithospheric and upper-mantle structure of the Anatolian plateau in eastern Turkey and nearby regions are the result of the final collision and suturing of the continental Arabia plate to the Turkish terranes (i.e., microcontinents). This process of collision and suturing was strongly influenced by three active structures in the region: the Caucasus mountains, the Aegean subduction zone, and the Dead Sea fault system. Understanding these three major tectonic elements is important for the development of a robust model for the formation of the Anatolian plateau.

We show that the Anatolian plateau lithosphere in eastern...