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Landform effect on rockfall and hazard mapping in Cappadocia (Turkey)

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Abstract

The Cappadocia region has unique geomorphological features resulting from differential erosional processes which make it very attractive to tourists. Besides the fairy chimneys for which the area is best known, there are also impressive buttes and mesas. Buttes and mesas are formed in regions having flat-lying strata in which the uppermost levels are composed of well-cemented limestones and granular ignimbrites, whereas the lower parts and slopes consist of low-durability tuff and ignimbrites. This durability difference results in serious rockfall events. This study involves two-dimensional rockfall analyses in and near the Avanos, Zelve, and Çavusini areas, where volcano-sedimentary units of Neogene age outcrop, to provide a rockfall hazard map in which areas of tourism activity are also considered.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Prof. Dr. Işık Yilmaz and reviewers for their valuable comments on the manuscript. The authors would like to offer their special thanks to Mr. I. Caner Onay for his support during the revision stage of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geological Engineering, Mersin University, Mersin, Turkey

    Kivanc Zorlu

  2. Department of Geological Engineering, Canakkale 18 Mart University, Canakkale, Turkey

    M. Celal Tunusluoglu

  3. Natural Science Research Center, Yildiz Technic University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Tolga Gorum

  4. Department of Geological Research, General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration, Ankara, Turkey

    Hakan A. Nefeslioglu

  5. Department of Geological Engineering, Aksaray University, Aksaray, Turkey

    Ali Yalcin

  6. Department of Geological Engineering, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey

    Dilek Turer & Candan Gokceoglu

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  1. Kivanc Zorlu
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  2. M. Celal Tunusluoglu
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  3. Tolga Gorum
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  4. Hakan A. Nefeslioglu
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  5. Ali Yalcin
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  6. Dilek Turer
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  7. Candan Gokceoglu
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Correspondence to Kivanc Zorlu.

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Zorlu, K., Celal Tunusluoglu, M., Gorum, T. et al. Landform effect on rockfall and hazard mapping in Cappadocia (Turkey). Environ Earth Sci 62, 1685–1693 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-010-0653-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-010-0653-9

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