Magma reservoirs discovered beneath North Anatolian Fault

A multi-national scientific study has identified two shallow magma reservoirs located beneath the eastern sections of the North Anatolian Fault, spanning the area between Erzincan, Bingöl (Yedisu), and Tunceli (Ovacık).

Led by Prof. Dr. Özgür Karaoğlu, the research team utilized high-resolution seismic tomography and 3D numerical modeling to examine the relationship between active fault systems and underground magma structures. The findings, published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, reveal that the western reservoir is located under the Erzincan Basin and remains seismically quiet, while the eastern reservoir, situated near the Karlıova Triple Junction, shows more distinct and continuous seismicity.

The study suggests that right-lateral movements along the North Anatolian Fault may create extensional stresses around these reservoirs. These stresses could facilitate the fracturing of the reservoirs and allow magma veins to move upward toward the surface, even in the absence of initial excessive pressure from the magma itself.