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The Samos Island (Aegean Sea) Earthquake occurred on 30 October 2020. It produced a tsunami that impacted coastal communities, ground shaking that was locally amplified in some areas and that led to collapse of structures with 118 fatalities in both Greece and Turkey, and wide-ranging geotechnical effects including rockfalls, landsliding, and liquefaction. As a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the reconnaissance of this event did not involve the deployment of international teams, as would be typical for an event of this size. Instead, following initial deployments of separate Greek and Turkish teams, the reconnaissance and documentation efforts were managed in a coordinated manner with the assistance of international partners. This coordination ultimately produced a multi-agency joint report published on the 2-month anniversary of the earthquake, and this special issue. This paper provides an overview of the reconnaissance activities undertaken to document the effects of this important event and summarizes key lessons spanning topic areas from seismology to emergency response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An earthquake with a magnitude ranging from Mw = 6.9 (KOERI) to Mw = 7.0 (USGS) struck Samos Island in the Aegean Sea on October 30, 2020, with an epicentre 70 kms from the İzmir city centre in Turkey. The earthquake took place at 14:51 local time (11:51 UTC). The peak ground acceleration (PGA) of this earthquake was recorded to be 0.179 g at the epicentre of the earthquake. This earthquake occurred at a depth of 17.26 km (AFAD (2020) İzmir Earthquake Report, (In Turkish)) and lasted 16 s. The main shock from the earthquake triggered a tsunami that hit the building stocks built near the coast. During the gradual deregulation of COVID-19 pandemic regulations, various events caused considerable damage to the building stock, particularly in the Izmir Seferihisar and Bayraklı regions and resulted in a massive disruption of daily habits. The main shock caused 117 deaths in both Turkey and Greece, and 1632 people were also injured in Turkey. Moreover, several injuries occurred in Greece. A total of 103 buildings collapsed, 700 were severely damaged, 814 buildings were moderately damaged, and 7889 were slightly damaged. The basic aim of this paper is to briefly present the past and present seismotectonic characteristics of the region, present building stock, and former structural conditions before the earthquake, assess structural performance and classify distinguished earthquake-induced failures and damage due to the basin effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to first apply the theory of trade in vertically differentiated products in a Customs Union context and second to find out the effects of the Customs Union between the European Union and Turkey. This is done both at a theoretical and at an empirical level. Based on these assumptions, the theoretical analysis indicates that the benefits of admitting Turkey into the Customs Union will be unevenly spread between Germany and Greece. In particular, Germany will definitely benefit, whereas Greece may suffer losses. In the empirical part of the paper, it is examined whether the predictions emanating from the theoretical analysis find any empirical support. For this purpose, the behavior of Greek and Turkish exports to the European Union is examined using desegregated data. The evidence is supportive of the theoretical predictions. (JEL F15, O50); Int'l Advances in Econ. Res. 3(4): pp. 275-34, Nov. 02. ©All Rights Reserved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, 28 aftershock sequences are selected, which are distributed in different areas including north China, southwest of China, northwest of China, Taiwan area, Turkey and Greece. In order to investigate the characteristics of these sequences along with different temporal and spatial coordinates, each sequence has been divided into dozens of segments called ``sub-sequences''. The ETAS (Epidemic Type Aftershock Sequences) model is applied to each ``sub-sequence'', and therefore the vectors of parameters of ETAS could be evaluated. Another model named LR (Logistic Regression) model is used to seek the correlate relation between the parameters of ETAS applied to every earthquake ``sub-sequence'' and seismicity. All the analyses and estimations imply that the characteristic of decay of aftershock sequences in different temporal and spatial domains seems to be characterized by the parameters of the ETAS model applied to some aftershock sequences or ``sub-sequences'', and there are some proportional correlate relations between the evaluation of LR model and the occurrence probability of the succeeding strong seismic energy release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the correlates of attitudes toward marriage and children in North Cyprus, South Cyprus, Turkey and Greece, using the most recent wave of the European Values Study (EVS) data. The results show the most support for the second demographic transition theory. The combined effects of education, religiosity, political ideology and gender ideology explain the most variance in family values among these four countries. Less religiosity and egalitarian gender ideology are correlated with egalitarian attitudes towards marriage and children throughout, but cross-country differences are also significant. The effects of parenthood, marital status, education, and political ideology are in the expected direction, yet the effects are not universal but country-specific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses a model of non-linear exchange rate adjustment that extends the literature by allowing asymmetric responses to over- and under-valuations. Applying the model to Greece and Turkey, we find that adjustment is asymmetric and that exchange rates depend on the sign as well as the magnitude of deviations, being more responsive to over-valuations than undervaluations. Our findings support and extend the argument that non-linear models of exchange rate adjustment can help to overcome anomalies in exchange rate behaviour. They also suggest that exchange rate adjustment is non-linear in economies where fundamentals models work well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concerning their provenance and age, the nappes of the Uppermost Unit of Crete are counted among the most enigmatic constituents of the Eastern Mediterranean. U–Pb dating of zircons separated from metavolcanic rocks of the Preveli nappe exposed near Lefkogia yielded Triassic emplacement ages at 237.3 ± 1.8, 241.5 ± 1.2 and 242.1 ± 1.2 Ma. U–Pb grandite dating of subvolcanic barren skarn of this area yielded the same age at 239.3 ± 2.3 Ma. The skarn is dominated by hydrous phases (ferri-actinolite, hydro-grandite, epidote), which developed at T = 400–450 °C in a marine extensional setting due to fluid-assisted metasomatic reactions between chert-bearing limestone and igneous veins. The fluids and their composition played a significant role for the complex oscillatory zoning of the grandite, which largely results from antithetic variations in Fe3+ and Al. The new U–Pb ages suggest that—similar to deep-seated skarns—U–Pb grandite dating of shallow-seated skarns allows dating the complementary record of hydrothermal activity related to the causative melt. Although the development of skarn is regarded as a short-lived process on geological time scales, the skarn formation of the Preveli nappe lasted for more than 20 m.y. as is indicated by additional U–Pb grandite ages obtained from skarn exposed near Kerames (232.7 ± 1.5 Ma) and near Gerakari (218.0 ± 3.5 Ma). The new ages and published data suggest the Uppermost Unit of Crete to be derived either from the peri-Rhodope domain of the Internal Hellenides or from the Pontides of northern Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excavation of rock masses has a crucial importance for the safety and cost of construction of engineering projects. In this study, a flexible excavation assessment (EXCASS) system was developed with two components, the geological strength index (GSI) and the point load strength index (Is50). In order to develop the system, artificial neural network (ANN) analysis were performed using datasets from surface excavations (12 sites in Turkey and 61 sites in Greece reported by Tsiambaos and Saroglou (2010)). The EXCASS system in this study includes two parameters, namely the excavation power index (EPI) and the excavation performance rating (EPR) ranging between the value of 0 and 100. The optimum excavation power index (EPIopt) can be determined theoretically by using ( GSI 2 × Is 50 ) as an input when EPR is equal to 0, for the selection of the optimum excavation method. EPR is a rating which provides relative information on the ease or difficulty of the excavation method. Although the value of EPR varies between 0 and ± 100 in the EXCASS system, the use of the excavation method for "normally classes" is recommended in order to achieve costly and efficient excavation. The EXCASS system, on the other hand, has an ability to respond to possible technological developments by associating the excavation method with the EPI rating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unification of local vertical datums (LVDs) at a country-wide scale has gained significant attention lately due to the availability of GOCE-based global geopotential models (GGMs) and the unprecedented geoid height accuracies offered. Within a single country, several LVDs may be used, especially in the case of islandic nations. Therefore, the unification of all of them to a single nation-wide LVD is of utmost importance. The same holds for neighboring countries, where the unification of their vertical datums is necessary as a tool of engineering, cross-border collaboration and environmental and risk management projects. The aforementioned set the main scope of the present study, which focuses on the use of GOCE and GOCE/GRACE GGMs in order to investigate the offsets between the Greek and Turkish LVDs. First an evaluation of the latest release 5 GOCE GGMs is carried out, either to their maximum degree or through spectral enhancement with EGM208 and topographic effects. Then, the geopotential value for the Greek and Turkish LVDs is performed, along with different estimates for the marine area of the Aegean Sea where several islands and isles exist with each one realizing its own LVD. The relative offset between the two LVDs was determined and used to provide a direct link between the Greek and Turkish LVDs with the IAG conventional value recently proposed as a global WHS. From the results achieved it was concluded that the spectrally enhanced GOCE GGMs reduce the standard deviation of the differences with GPS/levelling data by 2–4 cm over Turkey and 2 cm for mainland Greece. In terms of the zero-level geopotential determination, the LVD of the Greek mainland is 64.9 cm below the IAG conventional value, while that of Turkey is 9.6 cm above. Finally, it is concluded that in practice each Greek island realizes its own LVD with offsets between them as large as 35 cm. Despite that fact, the spectrally enhanced GOCE GGMs and in particular GOCO05s provides the overall smallest height residuals over the islands, hence the W^oLVD based on that can be recommended as the best estimate. In that way, relative offsets with the LVD of mainland Greece can be computed for each island, ranging between −23.8 and 15.5 cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have shown that the diets of migrant populations are of poor quality; however, studies on populations remaining in one geographical region as a minority after an acute population movement are scarce. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess dietary intake and growth of Greek minority adolescents in Turkey. Anthropometric measurements and dietary assessment were performed in 103 Greek Orthodox students (aged 10-19 years old) of three minority schools in Istanbul. Prevalence of overweight and obesity according to the WHO growth charts was 39.8 %. Accordingly, 40 % of the sample exhibited excess body fat. Dietary intakes of protein, carbohydrate, fiber, vitamins E and D, folic acid and calcium were inadequate, while energy, total fat and iron intakes were considered adequate. Our results indicate that Greek minority adolescents living in Turkey have similar weight status compared to their counterparts in Greece, but greater body fat than Turkish coevals, while being at risk of several nutrient inadequacies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bayesian method is used to evaluate earthquake hazard parameters of maximum regional magnitude ( M), β value, and seismic activity rate or intensity ( λ) and their uncertainties for the 15 different source regions in Western Anatolia. A compiled earthquake catalog that is homogenous for M ≥ 4 was completed during the period from 1900 to 2013. The computed M values are between 6.00 and 8.06. Low values are found in the northern part of Western Anatolia, whereas high values are observed in the southern part of Western Anatolia, related to the Aegean subduction zone. The largest value is computed in region 10, comprising the Aegean Islands. The quantiles of functions of distributions of true and apparent magnitude on a given time interval [0 ,T] are evaluated. The quantiles of functions of distributions of apparent and true magnitudes for future time intervals of 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 years are calculated in all seismogenic source regions for confidence limits of probability levels of 50, 70, and 90 %. According to the computed earthquake hazard parameters, the requirement leads to the earthquake estimation of the parameters referred to as the most seismically active regions of Western Anatolia. The Aegean Islands, which have the highest earthquake magnitude (7.65) in the next 100 years with a 90 % probability level, is the most dangerous region compared to other regions. The results found in this study can be used in probabilistic seismic hazard studies of Western Anatolia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Implementing efficient water resources management plans at trans-boundary river catchments is a difficult task that requires strong international cooperation, intensive monitoring programs, and common understanding of the impacts imposed on water resources by human pressures. Evros River, which flows through Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey, is an ecologically important water body, protected by international legislation but nevertheless it is susceptible to numerous significant pollution sources that may lead to the deterioration of its environmental status. In this study, a water monitoring program was applied, incorporating chemical and biological parameters to assess the environmental status in the Greek part of the river and identify the associated pollution pressures. For this purpose, seasonal water sampling occurred in 13 sites along the longitudinal course of the river and a series of parameters were recorded including nutrients, heavy metals, microbiological loads, macroinvertebrate, and fish assemblages and abundance. The results indicated that the water quality of Evros River illustrate substantial spatiotemporal fluctuations, which can be well related to specific human activities and associated pressures. Therefore, a trans-boundary monitoring program should be initiated that will provide continuous information for the development and revision of the catchment's adaptive management plan in order to restrict pollution impacts and achieve a good ecological status as required by the Water Framework Directive 2000/60EC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The Aegean region is a concentrate of the main geodynamic processes that shaped the Mediterranean region: oceanic and continental subduction, mountain building, high-pressure and low-temperature metamorphism, backarc extension, post-orogenic collapse, metamorphic core complexes, gneiss domes are the ingredients of a complex evolution that started at the end of the Cretaceous with the closure of the Tethyan ocean along the Vardar suture zone. Using available plate kinematic, geophysical, petrological and structural data, we present a synthetic tectonic map of the whole region encompassing the Balkans, Western Turkey, the Aegean Sea, the Hellenic Arc, the Mediterranean Ridge and continental Greece and we build a lithospheric-scale N-S cross-section from Crete to the Rhodope massif. We then describe the tectonic evolution of this cross-section with a series of reconstructions from ~70 Ma to the Present. We follow on the hypothesis that a single subduction has been active throughout most of the Mesozoic and the entire Cenozoic, and we show that the geological record is compatible with this hypothesis. The reconstructions show that continental subduction (Apulian and Pelagonian continental blocks) did not induce slab break-off in this case. Using this evolution, we discuss the mechanisms leading to the exhumation of metamorphic rocks and the subsequent formation of extensional metamorphic domes in the backarc region during slab retreat. The tectonic histories of the two regions showing large-scale extension, the Rhodope and the Cyclades are then compared. The respective contributions to slab retreat, post-orogenic extension and lower crust partial melting of changes in kinematic boundary conditions and in nature of subducting material, from continental to oceanic, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rocks of Turkey, Greece and Syria preserve evidence for the destruction of Tethys, the construction of much of the continental crust of the region and the formation of the Tauride orogenic belt. These events occurred between the Late Cretaceous and Miocene, but the detailed evolution of the southern Eurasian margin during this period of progressive continental accretion is largely unknown. Marmara Island is a basement high lying at a key location in the Cenozoic Turkish tectonic collage, with a Palaeogene suture zone to the south and a deep Eocene sedimentary basin to the north. North-dipping metamorphic thrust sheets make up the island and are interlayered with a major metagranitoid intrusion. We have dated the intrusion by Laser Ablation ICP-MS analysis of U and Pb isotopes on zircon separates to 47.6 ± 2 Ma. We also performed major- and trace-elemental geochemical analysis of 16 samples of the intrusion that revealed that the intrusion is a calc-alkaline, metaluminous granitoid, marked by Nb depletion relative to LREE and LIL-element enrichment when compared to ocean ridge granite (ORG). We interpret the metagranitoid sill as a member of a mid-Eocene magmatic arc, forming a 30 km wide and more than 200 km long arcuate belt in NW Turkey that post-dates suturing along the İzmir-Ankara-Erzincan Suture zone. The arc magmatism was emplaced at the early stages of mountain building, related to collision of Eurasia with the Menderes-Taurus Platform in early Eocene times. Orogenesis and magmatism loaded the crust to the north creating coeval upward-deepening marine basins partially filled by volcanoclastic sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  The Çaldağ nickel laterite deposit located in the Aegean region of W. Turkey contains a reserve of 33 million tons of Ni ore with an average grade of 1.14% Ni. The deposit is developed on an ophiolitic serpentinite body which was obducted onto Triassic dolomites in the Late Cretaceous. The deposit weathering profile is both laterally and vertically variable. A limonite zone, which is the main ore horizon, is located at the base of the profile. A hematite horizon is located above the limonite, which in the south of the deposit is capped by Eocene freshwater limestones and in the north by a siliceous horizon. The deposit is unusual in lacking a significant saprolite zone with little development of Ni-silicates. The boundary between the limonite zone and serpentinite below is sharp with a marked decrease in concentrations of MgO from 13 to 1 wt.% over a distance of 2 mm representing the ‘Mg discontinuity’. Ni concentrations within goethite, the main ore mineral, reach a maximum of ~3 wt.% near the base of the limonite zone. Silica concentrations are high throughout most of the laterite with up to 80 wt.% silica in the upper portion of some profiles. The combination of a serpentinite protolith and a high water table at Çaldağ, in association with an aggressive weathering environment in a tropical climate, resulted in the formation of an oxide-dominated deposit. The precipitation of silica may coincide with a change in climate with silica precipitation linked to an increase in seasonality. Additional variations within profile morphology are attributed to transportation during and after laterite development as a result of faulting, pocket type laterite formation and slumping, each of which produces a contrasting set of textural and geochemical features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transboundary Evros River discharges into the Alexandroupolis Gulf, located in the inner shelf of the northeastern Aegean Sea, where it has formed an extended delta. Grain-size and mineralogical analyses of five sediment cores, collected in the subaqueous delta, provide the following information about recent sedimentation processes in the northeastern part of the Aegean shelf: (a) river mouth deposits, consisting of coarse-grained sediments, are mainly deposited in front of the active mouth, whilst some sandy material is expected to be transported alongshore by nearshore currents; (b) delta front deposits are characterised by fine-grained sediments that include evidence of human activities which have taken place, in a more intense way, since the 1950s; and (c) prodelta deposits are represented by almost uniform riverine mud that cover the pre-existed relict sands of the shelf, indicating also the limit (some 15 km to the SW) of the influence of riverine sedimentation on the seabed of the inner shelf of the Alexandroupolis Gulf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]