Assessment of the Tectonic Activity in Northwestern Part of the Zagros Mountains, Northeastern Iraq by Using Geomorphic Indices

Ziyad Elias,Varoujan K Sissakian,Nadhir Al-Ansari

doi:10.1007/s10706-019-00888-z

Abstract

The Tectonic Activity of regions with active tectonics can be assessed by using of the geomorphic indices. Six Geomorphic indices including stream-gradient index (SL), drainage basin asymmetry (Af), drainage basin shape (Bs), hypsometric integral (Hi), valley floor width-valley height ratio (Vf), and mountain-front sinuosity (Smf) were calculated using GIS technique in Kifri Chai Basin; northeast Iraq, which belongs to the Western Zagros Mountain. The basin was divided into eighteen sub-basins depending on the 4th, 5th and 6th stream orders of the drainage within Kirfi Basin. It was found that the SL, Af, Bs, Hi, Vf, and Smf (J) values are uniform and exhibit almost the same classes. However, few exceptions occur, especially in Bs values, but the exceptional values do not influence significantly on the acquired results, in each of the eighteen sub-basin. From these indices the relative active tectonics index value (Iat) was determined. The results of average Iat values (2.35) showed that the tectonic activity in the whole basin is Moderate. Moreover, an attempt was carried out to compare the regional Neotectonic activity with the relative tectonic activity in the basin. The results showed that there is a positive relation between the two comparatives; especially the subsidence amount and scored relative tectonic activity.

Highlights

The phenomenon of tectonic movements is the best recognized in the history of basin development
The main aim of the current study is to indicate the tectonic activity of Kifri Chai Basin which is part of the Western Zagros Range
The acquired data of the six studied geomorphic indices showed that the average indicate the relative tectonic activity (Iat) value in Kifri Chai Basin is 2.35, which means Class 3; meaning that the Relative Tectonic Activity in the basin is Moderate (Table 2)

Summary

Introduction

The phenomenon of tectonic movements is the best recognized in the history of basin development. Landscape analyses of such areas and studies of drainage networks, in particular, provide insights into current tectonic processes and their activities. The rapid development of GIS techniques and the constant advancement in digital elevation model (DEM) quality and access provide significant and efficient tools to compute, calculate and analyze geomorphic indices across areas of various environments and scales (e.g., Keller et al 1982; Ramırez-Herrera 1998; Kirby et al 2003; Gurbuz and Gurer 2008; Arrowsmith and Zielke 2009; Gasparini and Whipple 2014). Active deformation in the Zagros Mountains is caused by the northward motion of the Arabian Plate with respect to Eurasian Plate, which occurs at a rate of 25 mm year -1 at longitude 56°E (Ramsey et al 2008). It is worth to mention that Dezful Embayment in Iraq is called Kirkuk Embayment (Fouad 2012)

Objectives

Discussion

Conclusion