Active Tectonics of Qezel Ozan River Basin, NW Iran

Abstract

Active tectonics has an essential role in controlling fluvial systems. The Qezel Ozan River, the longest river system in the North West of Iran, has responded to tectonic deformation thoroughly. In the structural- sedimentary Zoning, the study area is located in Sanandaj - Sirjan, Central Iran and Western Alborz zones. In the course of the Qezel Ozan River, various units of Qom, Upper Red, Lower Red and karaj formations were exposed. In this study, the first geomorphic anomalies have been identified on the satellite images and approved through DEM and field observations. Then these anomalies have been correlated with structures and magnetic lineaments extracted from geology and aeromagnetic maps. In this way the fluvial anomalies caused by magnetic lineaments are specified and so the active sub-surface folds and faults are recognized. Most of the magnetic lineaments in the Qezel Ozan River basin have caused the geomorphic anomalies in the length of the river and are considered as active sub-surface structures.