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Relative landscape maturity in the South Rifian Ridges (NW Morocco): Inferences from DEM-based surface indices analysis

In this paper we present the first landscape maturity analysis of the South Rifian Ridges, part of the southern branch of Gibraltar Arc (Morocco). Since the late Miocene, the southward propagation of anticlines structures is driven by the convergence between the Nubia and Eurasia plates, leading to the closure of the South Rifian Corridor and the ongoing motion of the Rif cordillera. So far little is known about the relative activity and the present-day evolution of the ridges. By using DEM-based geomorphic indices, we assessed the relative activity of the Moulay Idriss Massif anticlines to distinguish the most recent structures; and to have a clearer insight on the Quaternary evolution in the front of Rif fold-thrust belt. We used indices including the Hypsometric Integral (HI), Surface Roughness (SR) and their combination, Surface Index (SI), to highlight raised surfaces and erosional discontinuities. The normalized steepness index (Ksn) for the streams is evaluated to detect vertical displacements from the drainage network analysis. The topographic swath profiles are analyzed to highlight elevated and highly dissected areas. The relative landscape maturity analysis suggests that the entire massif has started to uplift at the same time and it exhibits a variation in landscape maturity in response to differential rates of exhumation, which increase from the east to the northwest (in Fert El Bir anticline). These differences resulted in variations in structural control that might be favored by salt layer at depth and stimulated by recent plate’s shortening phases.

Availability
93551.136Perpustakaan BIG (Eksternal Harddisk)Available
Detail Information
Series Title
Applied Computing and Geoscience - Open Access
Call Number
551.136
Publisher
Amsterdam : Elsevier.,
Collation
12 hlm PDF, 8.309 KB
Language
Inggris
ISBN/ISSN
2590-1974
Classification
551.136
Content Type
text
Media Type
-
Carrier Type
-
Edition
Vol.6, June 2020
Subject(s)
Active tectonics
Geomorphic indices
GIS
South Rifian Ridges
Rif belt
Morocco
Specific Detail Info
-
Statement of Responsibility
Other version/related

No other version available

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  • Relative landscape maturity in the South Rifian Ridges (NW Morocco): Inferences from DEM-based surface indices analysis
    In this paper we present the first landscape maturity analysis of the South Rifian Ridges, part of the southern branch of Gibraltar Arc (Morocco). Since the late Miocene, the southward propagation of anticlines structures is driven by the convergence between the Nubia and Eurasia plates, leading to the closure of the South Rifian Corridor and the ongoing motion of the Rif cordillera. So far little is known about the relative activity and the present-day evolution of the ridges. By using DEM-based geomorphic indices, we assessed the relative activity of the Moulay Idriss Massif anticlines to distinguish the most recent structures; and to have a clearer insight on the Quaternary evolution in the front of Rif fold-thrust belt. We used indices including the Hypsometric Integral (HI), Surface Roughness (SR) and their combination, Surface Index (SI), to highlight raised surfaces and erosional discontinuities. The normalized steepness index (Ksn) for the streams is evaluated to detect vertical displacements from the drainage network analysis. The topographic swath profiles are analyzed to highlight elevated and highly dissected areas. The relative landscape maturity analysis suggests that the entire massif has started to uplift at the same time and it exhibits a variation in landscape maturity in response to differential rates of exhumation, which increase from the east to the northwest (in Fert El Bir anticline). These differences resulted in variations in structural control that might be favored by salt layer at depth and stimulated by recent plate’s shortening phases.
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