Morphotectonic indices Analysis of the southern slope of Alborz in the eastern part of the Takestan curvature

Authors

1 Deptartment of Geology, Faculty of Science, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvinm Iran

2 Deptartment of Geology, Faculty of Science, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin

3 Department of Earth Sciences, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz

Abstract

Investigating the morphotectonic indices is always effective in understanding the tectonic activity. The study area is located in the northwest of Qazvin province and adjacent to Takestan curvature, in the central Alborz zone. Alborz orogenic belt has important active faults around the Takestan bend which may affect the activity potential of the area. In this research, the tectonic activity of the region has been investigated by morphotectonic indices including stream sinuosity index (S), percentage dissected mountain fronts (Fd), reverse topography symmetry index (T), mountain front sinuosity index (Smf), drainage basin asymmetry index (Af), stream length gradient index (SL), ratio of valley floor width to valley height index (Vf), drainage basin shape index (Bs). This study has been done using geological and topographical maps together with remote sensing of Landsat images using Arc GIS and Global Mapper software. Then, the results obtained from the classification of range indices were evaluated with the relative tectonic activity index (Iat). The values of this index indicate high tectonic activity in the middle sub-basins of the region and moderate tectonic activity in the eastern and southern parts of the region. The activity of faults in the region, such as the Takestan-Polrud basement fault and North Qazvin fault, caused an increasing amount of Iat in these subbasins.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

Anoop, A., Prasad, S., Basavaiah, N., Brauer, A., Shahzad, F., Deenadayalan, K., 2012. Tectonic versus climate influence on landscape evolution: A case study from the upper Spiti valley, NW Himalaya. Geomorphology 145, 32-44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2011.10.028
Bull, W.B., McFadden, L.D., 1977. Tectonic geomorphology north and south of the Garlock Fault, California. In: Doehring, D.O. (Ed.), Geomorphology in Arid Regions, A Proceedings of Eighth Annual Geomorphology Symposium. State University of New York, Binghamton, 23-24 September 1977, pp. 115-138.
Burbank, D.W., Anderson, R.S., 2001. Tectonic Geomorphology. Blackwell Science, 1st edition, Australia, p. 160.
Ehteshami-Moinabadi, M., 2016. Possible Basement Transverse Faults in the Western Alborz, Northern Iran. Journal of Sciences 27(4), 329-342.
El Hamdouni, R.E., Irigaray, C., Fernandez, T., Chacon, J., Keller, E.A, 2008. Assessment of Relative Active Tectonic, South West Border of the Sierra Nevada (Southern Spain). Geomorphology 96, 150-173. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2007.08.004
Ghafelehbashi, M., 2021. Geometric and kinematic analysis of North Qazvin fault zone. MSc. thesis, Imam Khomeini International University.
Giaconia, F., Booth-Rea, G., Martínez-Martínez, J.M., Azanón, J.M., Pérez-Pena, J.V., Pérez-Romero, J., Villegas, I., 2012. Geomorphic Evidence of Active Tectonics in the Sierra Alhamilla (Eas tern Betics, SE Spain). Geomorphology 145, 90-106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2011.12.043
Haghipour, A., Aghanabati, A., 1985. Geological Map of Iran (1:2500000). Geological Survey of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
Holbrook, J., Schumm, S.A., 1999. Geomorphic and Sedimentary Response of Rivers to Tectonic Deformation: A Brief Review and Critique of a Tool for Recognizing Subtle Epeirogenic Deformation in Modern and Ancient Settings. Tectonophysics 305, 287- 306. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0040-1951(99)00011-6
Hoseini, M., 2016. Geological map of Abhar (1:100000). Geological Survey of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
Keller, E.A., Pinter, N., 2002. Active Tectonics, Earthquakes, Uplift and Landscape. 2nd Edition, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, p. 362.
Mirtohidi, A., Mohamadi, A., 2000. Geological map of Takestan (1:100000). Geological Survey of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
Mohammadpur, F., Davoodi, Z., Sadeghi, S., Razavi-Pash, R., 2024. Assessment of tectonic activity using morphotectonic indices in Abhar-Lushan area, south of Alborz. Journal of Tectonics 23, 75-92. http://doi.org/10.22077/jt.2023.6557.1158
Nabavi, M.H., 1976. An introduction to the geology of Iran. Geological Survey of Iran, Tehran, Iran, p. 109.
Rockwell, T.K., Keller, E.A., Johnson, D.L., 1985. Tectonic geomorphology of alluvial fans and mountain fronts near Ventura, California. In: Morisawa, M. (Ed.), Tectonic Geomorphology. Proceedings of the 15th Annual Geomorphology Symposium. Allen and Unwin Publishers, Boston, pp. 183-207.
Seeber, L., Gornitz, V., 1983. River profiles along the Himalayan arc as indicators of active tectonics. Tectonophysics 92, 335-467. https://doi.org/10.1016/0040-1951(83)90201-9
Stöcklin, J., 1968. Structural history and tectonics of Iran: a review. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 52, 1229-1258. https://doi.org/10.1306/5D25C4A5-16C1-11D7-8645000102C1865D
Taherkhani, B., 2010. Morphotectonics and activity of the North Qazvin fault. MSc. thesis, Shahid Beheshti University.
Wells, S.G., Bullard, T.F., Menges, C.M., Drake, P.G., Karas, P.A., Kelson, K.I., Ritter, J.B., Wesling, J.R., 1988. Regional variations in tectonic geomorphology along a segmented convergent plate boundary, Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Geomorphology 1, 239–265. https://doi.org/10.1016/0169-555X(88)90016-5
Advanced Applied Geology
Volume 14, Issue 4
January 2025
Pages 1034-1057

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics