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Abstract:
The Milas Fault (MF) is a poorly understood active fault located between the Büyük Men-
deres graben to the north and the Gökova graben to the south within the Anatolian–Aegean
Region, SW Türkiye. This dextral strike-slip fault has a length of 55km between Bafa Lake
in the northwest and Çamlıca village in the southeast, with a general strike of N60°W, and
its surface trace displays two separate geometric segments. We mapped the geomorpho-
logical and geological features of the MF using Google Earth© images, digital elevation
models (DEMs) and field observations. The surface traces and kinematic characteristics
of the MF were defined by the slickenlines on the partly altered fault planes, morphologi-
cal lineaments and offset streams, which all suggest a dominant horizontal deformation
for this tectonic structure. Moreover, we excavated three palaeoseismological trenches to
expose signs of palaeoearthquakes on the MF and to evaluate its seismic hazard potential.
Evidence of three palaeoearthquake events was revealed in trenches according to the strati-
graphic and structural relationships of the exposed strata. The modelled age limits for these
earthquakes yielded 2913–2117 BC, 7680–7043 BC and before 8354 BC from youngest to
oldest. Based on these findings, the MF has produced surface-rupturing earthquakes in the
Holocene epoch. Although there are no constrained dates to propose a recurrence interval,
combined data from field observations, morphology, seismic records and palaeoseismol-
ogy indicate that the Milas Fault is an active structure and has the potential to produce an
earthquake with a magnitude of Mw 6.6–7.1 in the future.
