Abstract
Active tectonic morphometric studies of the sparsely investigated frontal Siwalik terrain around Goran in the Samba district bordering the Kathua district of J&K reveal the presence of NW-SE trending active sinistral strike-slip fault with oblique slip component which is parallel to the Surin-Masatgarh anticline. The Basantar River, the Tarnah stream, the Ujh River, the Sahaar stream and the Ravi River exhibit significant stream offsets where the fault crosses these channels. The values of the morphometric indices viz. stream sinuosity index (S), stream length gradient index (SL), valley floor width to valley height ratio (Vf), mountain front sinuosity index (Smf), hypsometric integral (Hi), basin asymmetry ratio (AF) and basin elongation ratio (Eb) calculated along the linear river offsets with respect to longitudinal River segments of the Rivers Basantar, Tarnah, Ujh, Sahaar and Ravi Rivers reveal that terrain is tectonically active and can be placed in tectonic active class I. The fault has an apparent offset of about 2000 m with it as it crosses the Basantar, the Tarnah, the Ujh, the Sahaar and the Ravi Rivers. The stream offsets upon field and laboratory investigations are developed due to an active sinistral strike slip fault which is being named as Goran fault. This fault has a surface expression of 100 km extending from the Basantar in the northwest up to the Beas River in the southwest whereas the remaining segment may exist as a hidden fault all along the Himalaya.
Highlights
The thrust faulting in the frontal Himalayan terrain is strongly influenced by the spatial and temporal patterns of active deformation recorded on the margin of the orogenic belts
Active tectonic geomorphic indices viz. stream length gradient index by [37], stream sinuosity index [38], mountain front sinuosity index, ratio of valley floor to valley height [39] [40] hypsometric integral, asymmetry factor and basin elongation ratio have been computed for the affected portion of the terrain in the region
The tectonic morphometric indices along the Ravi River, the Sahaar stream, the Ujh River, the Tarnah stream and the Basantar River are indicative of active tectonic setup of the terrain
Summary
The thrust faulting in the frontal Himalayan terrain is strongly influenced by the spatial and temporal patterns of active deformation recorded on the margin of the orogenic belts. The data emerging from the spectacular surface rupturing earthquakes suggest that the current tectonic activity is primarily occurring in the frontal thrust terrain [5]. Active tectonic morphometric studies within the orogenic belts are of significant importance in the context of evaluating the models of deformation, thrust belt kinematics, as the seismic hazard faced by the population habiting in close proximity to the active faults. [21] assessed the tectonic character of the terrain in the Frontal Siwalik hills near Trilokpur, northwestern Himalaya using remote sensing and tectonic morphometric approach. The present study is aimed at identifying the active tectonic elements in the Kashmir Himalaya, especially in the region between the Basantar and the Ravi Rivers, as the Kashmir Himalaya has been considered to represent a seismic gap due to non-availability of historical earthquakes in this region [28] [29] except Kangra earthquake in 1905 and Uri-Muzzafrabad earthquake in 2005
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