Quantitative analysis of relative tectonic activity in the Sarvestan area, central Zagros, Iran

Neotectonics is a major factor controlling landform development in tectonically active regions, and it has significantly affected fluvial systems and mountain-front landscapes in the Sarvestan area of the central Zagros, Iran. The area is located along the simply folded belt of the Zagros, and is an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geomorphology (Amsterdam, Netherlands) Netherlands), 2010-09, Vol.121 (3), p.329-341
Main Authors: Dehbozorgi, M., Pourkermani, M., Arian, M., Matkan, A.A., Motamedi, H., Hosseiniasl, A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Active tectonics
Areal geology
Areal geology. Maps
Asymmetry
Belts
Drainage basins
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
Freshwater
Geographic information systems
Geologic maps, cartography
Geomorphic indices
Geomorphology
Geomorphology, landform evolution
Iran
Landforms
Marine and continental quaternary
Morphometry
Quantitative analysis
Satellite navigation systems
Surficial geology
Tectonic geomorphology
Tectonics
Zagros Mountains
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Summary:Neotectonics is a major factor controlling landform development in tectonically active regions, and it has significantly affected fluvial systems and mountain-front landscapes in the Sarvestan area of the central Zagros, Iran. The area is located along the simply folded belt of the Zagros, and is an outcome of the SW–NE oriented tectonic conversion that initiated in the Late Cretaceous and strengthened during the Early Miocene due to the collision of the Arabian and Eurasian plates. To assess tectonic activities in the area, we analyzed geomorphic indices: the stream-gradient index ( SL), drainage basin asymmetry ( Af), hypsometric integral ( Hi), valley floor width–valley height ratio ( Vf), drainage basin shape ( Bs), and mountain-front sinuosity ( J). These indices were combined to yield the relative active tectonics index ( Iat) using geographic information systems (GIS). Based on Iat values, the study area was divided into four parts: Class 1 (very high relative tectonic activity, 1.0% in area); Class 2 (high, 20.0%); Class 3 (moderate, 67.0%), and Class 4 (low, 12.0%). The results are consistent with field observations on landforms and geology.
ISSN:0169-555X
1872-695X
DOI:10.1016/j.geomorph.2010.05.002