Evaluation of DEM based Neotectonics of Sulaiman range and lobe region (SRLR), Balochistan-Pakistan

Abstract

The Indian plate’s western boundary is extremely tilted towards the direction of convergence between Asia and India signifying an exceptional example of massive scale oblique continent-continent collision. This transform boundary motion is sinistral in nature and Digital Elevation Model (DEM) based geomorphometry permits the investigation of 3-D characteristics of the regional topography. This technique is specifically useful along inter-plate transform margins where the visual interpretation and topographic assessment is unable to observe the trends of the landforms evolution. In this context, the geomorphometry of the regional surface might be influenced largely by climate change and lower rate of active deformation. The geomorphic indices; Isobase Levels (IBLs), Topographic Asymmetry factor (T-factor) and Hack Gradient Index (HGI) have been executed to analyze fluvial drainage networks in connection to neotectonic movements. The sinistral movement along the Chaman Fault system and relatively less deformed Katawaz Block are the major surface dynamics to compute the style of deformation in the Sulaiman Range and Lobe Region (SRLR). Within the SRLR, the Sulaiman Fold and Thrust Belt (SFTB) is thrusting with a rate of 4–15 mm/yr in a North-South (NS) trend between IndoPak-Eurasian and a shortening of 4–6 mm/yr in East-West (EW) context. Seismicity is typically towards NorthWest-SouthEast (NW-SE) accommodating the moment release in the current century between the IndoPak-Eurasian transform plate boundary in the western most of the western Himalayan Syntaxis. The results obtained from the applied geomorphic indices indicate significant uplift in terms of higher IBL and HGI values all along the SRLR (Harnai, Katwaz, Qilla Saifullah, Zhob, Loralai, Jissa Shareef, Sakhi Sarwar and Fort Munro). The T-factor results also display tilt block neotectonics that are in agreement with the results of IBL and HGI.