Quantitative Analysis of Relative Tectonic Activities of Geothermal Areas of Lainea, South Konawe District, Southeast Sulawesi Province, Indonesia

Abstract

The tectonic activity that occurs in the Southeast Sulawesi Province causes this area to be traversed by many geological structures in the forms of faults trending Northwest-Southeast, and it is estimated that it is still active today. One evidence of the activity of these faults is the emergence of geothermal manifestations of Lainea. Therefore, this research was conducted to prove the level of tectonic activeness of an area as a part of mitigating potential natural disasters that might occur. This research activity aims to determine the level of tectonic activeness in the research area. So that from this purpose, the researcher uses the method, namely the quantitative geomorphic method, which includes morphotectonics analysis using the Digital Elevation Model data combined with direct observation of the type of lithology, geomorphological features, and geological structures that develop in the study area to produce a Relative Tectonic Activity Index. The results obtained from this study where the class of tectonic activity in the study area is divided into three tectonic activity classes, namely high tectonic activity classes in watersheds 4 and 7 with an area of ± 20.5 km2, medium tectonic activity class in watershed 1, 5, 6, 8, 9 with an area of ± 40.9 km2, and low tectonic activity class in watersheds 2 and 3 with an area of ± 12.8 km2. Areas that have a high tectonic activity class have the potential for seismic hazards caused by the movement of geological structures found in the study area.