Kapadokya Bölgesinin Drenaj Özellikleri
Kapadokya bölgesinde erozyonal süreçlere bağlı olarak ignimbirit ve tüfler üzerinde kırgıbayır topografyası yaygın olarak oluşmaktadır. Kırgıbayır topografyası içerisinde en dikkati çeken yer şekilleri ise peribacalarıdır ve bölge içerisinde peribacalarının oluşumunu denetleyen çok fazla sayıda faktör bulunmaktadır. İgnimbiritlerin tabakanlanma, sertlik ve gözeneklilik özellikleri, topografik eğim koşulları, ignimbiritler içerisindeki süreksizliklerin şekli, boyutu ve sıklığı, iklimsel özellikler, drenaj koşulları vb. unsurlar başta peribacaları olmak üzere kırgıbayır topografyasının gelişimi üzerinde etkilidir. Bu çalışmada alandaki kırgıbayır topografyası ve peribacası gelişimini denetleyen ana etmenlerden bir tanesi olan drenaj özellikleri 1/25.000 ölçekli topografya haritalarına göre incelenmiştir. İlk olarak topografya haritalarından tespit edilen tüm vadiler CBS ortamında sayısallaştırılmıştır. Ardından her bir vadiye dizin numarası girilmiş ve drenaj yoğunluğu haritası oluşturulmuştur. Haritalama çalışmalarına göre 553 km2’lik alan içerisinde en yüksek akarsu yoğunluklarına Göreme Milli Parkı sınırları içerisindeki ignimbirit ve tüflerde ulaşılmaktadır (15.3 km/km2). Maximum akarsu yoğunluğunda en düşük değerler güney kesimdeki plato yüzeylerinde bazalt (9 km/km2), andezit (3.2 km/km2) ve dasitler (4.2 km/km2) üzerinde görülür. Strahler yöntemine göre akarsu dizinlerinin %53’ü 1. ve %22.7’si 2. dizine aittir. Elde edilen bu sonuçlar Göreme Milli Parkını içine havzalarda en yüksek akarsu yoğunluğunun milli park içerisindeki ignimbirit ve tüfler üzerinde olduğunu göstermiştir.
Drainage Characteristics of the Cappadocia Region
The morphology of the widespread badlands in the region of Cappadocia has mainly been the result of erosional processes on ignimbrite and tuff formations. Fairy chimneys are the most characteristic landforms of badlands morphology and many factors are responsible for the formation of these landforms in the region. Bedding, hardness and porosity of ignimbrites, shape, size and frequency of discontinuities in ignimbrites, slope, climate and drainage properties etc. of the area all significantly contribute to the development of badlands and fairy chimneys. In this study, drainage properties, which are one of the main controlling factors in this development, were investigated referencing 1/25.000 scale topography maps. Firstly, all valley thalwegs were digitized using GIS. Subsequently, the Strahler order numbers of each stream were determined, and a drainage density map was created. Basing our results on maximum drainage densities, the highest drainage density (15.3 km/km2) in the study area was identified in ignimbrite and tuffs in the Göreme National Park, whilst, the lowest drainage densities were located on plateau surfaces (basalt (9 km/km2), dacite (4.2 km/km2) and andesite (3.2 km/km2) in the southern part of the study area. According to the Strahler order method, 53% and 22.7% of all streams belong to first and second orders, respectively. All these results show that drainage conditions on ignimbrite and tuffs are determinant factors in the formation of both badlands morphology and fairy chimneys.
The Cappadocia region located in the Central Anatolian Volcanic Province, has specific landforms formed as a result of physical and chemical weathering processes on Miocene-Pliocene ignimbrite and tuffs. Badlands morphology is the dominant landscape in this region. Fairy chimneys (capped earth pillars, erosion columns, chimney rocks) are typical landforms of badlands morphology and they are formed as a result of regression of valley slopes. However, many factors such as bedding, hardness and porosity properties of ignimbrites, shape, size and frequency of discontinuities in ignimbrites, slope, climate, vegetation, drainage properties of the area etc. are causes of the erosion and formation of fairy chimneys. Additionally, tectonic uplifts, climatic and river level oscillations during Quaternary also affected the appearance of the region. Alongside natural conditions, human activities of the past and present have also had a significant effect on the appearance of the region. While drainage patterns and densities have been the main contributory factors in shaping this region they have not been studied in detail until today. Therefore, in this study, the spatial distribution of stream order and drainage density were investigated according to 1/25.000 scale topography maps. Firstly, all the valley thalwegs in the drainage basin were identified from the topography maps and digitized using GIS software. Secondly, the Strahler order numbers of each stream were determined, and a drainage density map was created. Thirdly, three 1/100.000 scaled geology maps and data from three meteorology stations (Nevşehir, Avanos and Ürgüp) were used for the analysis of lithological units and climate as part of this study. The study area is a volcanic plateau which has been highly eroded by rivers and deep narrow valleys. The area which includes drainage basins such as the Damsa Basin which flow from south to north, covers an area of 553 km2 . The main drainage pattern in the area is the dendritic network. The elevation and slope of the area vary between 920 and 1949 meters, and 0° and 69°, respectively. The badlands landscape and fairy chimney landforms are formed on Miocene-Pliocene ignimbrite and tuffs which frequently alternate with lacustrine and fluvial deposits. Eight types of ignimbrites were found in the Cappadocia region and fairy chimneys had developed on three of them (Kavak, Zelve and Cemilköy ignimbirites). These three units make up 53% of the study area and their average slope is 8°. Climate plays an important role in the development of the fairy chimneys. According to the Köppen climate classification, the climate type of the area is a cold semi-arid climate (type BSk) and accordingly, five months of the year are very dry. The annual average temperature and annual total precipitation of the area are 10°C and 367 mm, respectively. The maximum temperature in summer months can reach 40°C and the minimum temperature in winter months can drop to -24°C. Maximum and minimum precipitations are observed in May (52 mm) and August (4 mm), respectively. Southern and northern winds are the prevailing winds in the area according to the Ürgüp Meteorology Station. Southern winds (SSE, S and SSW) account for 34% of all winds. According to the 1/25.000 scale topographic maps utilized in this study, a total of 21.973 stream orders were digitized with 53% and 23% of these are belong to first and second stream orders respectively. Ignimbrite and tuffs make up 66% of first and second order streams. The average drainage density is 6.4 km/km2 with a drainage density of less than 9 km/km2 across the majority of the study area (84%). Minimum and maximum densities are observed in the southern and northern parts of the study area, respectively. The highest densities were identified in the Göreme National Park, in particular in the northeast part of Zelve and between Göreme, Çavuşin and Ortahisar. The maximum lithology densities were found in the ignimbrites and tuffs in the Göreme National Park (15.3 km/km2 ). Furthermore, the lowest densities were identified on the plateau surface (composed of basalt, dacite and andesite) in the southern part of the study area. All these results show that drainage conditions are determinant factors in the formation of badlands morphology and fairy chimneys in the area of study