Natural and anthropogenic submarine morphologies revealed by high resolution acoustic data in the Gulf of Izmir, western Turkey

This study includes the interpretation of submarine morphological structures using the multibeam echo sounder bathymetry and CHIRP high resolution seismic in the Gulf of Izmir. The faults as the indicator of active tectonics, submarine channels, gas seeps, active and inactive pockmarks are the main natural morphological features in the gulf. Additionally, man-made (anthropogenic) structures like navigation channels, excavation debrises and ships wrecks are also observed. Geomorphological development of the gulf is controlled by the active faults in the Neotectonic period. Therefore, detection of active faults is very critical for the morphology of the gulf where many faults with different orientations have been interpreted on the seismic data. In the central-outer part of the gulf to the W NW, there are some normal faults trending in the N NW and S SE direction, and in the eastern and southern part of the gulf, E–W trending normal faults are evident in the seabed topography.