Geo-information technology (GiT) and tectonic signatures: the River Karun Dez, Zagros Orogen in south-west Iran

The landscapes in Zagros Mountains SW Iran are greatly influenced by structural geology, tectonics, and bedrock lithology, and the courses of major rivers. The locations of major valleys and rivers within the Zagros Fold Belt of the central Zagros are largely determined by the courses of the two major rivers, the Karun and the Dez, which are greatly influenced by the structural geology, particularly the topographic barrier of the Mountain Front Fault and the structural lows of its associated lateral ramps. At finer scales the river courses are more variable, with similar river reaches in similar tectonic scenarios apparently having different responses; diverting around uplifting areas in some instances and cutting across them in others. These river responses were investigated using an integration of remote sensing, GIS, GPS, geomorphology and field survey to study the tectonic signatures, especially in the Mesopotamian Foreland Basin where the river systems are very mobile and able to respond, both laterally and vertically, to the active tectonics. In semi-arid foreland basin it was found that the river response to structural uplift was greatly influenced by the location and timing of movement of the river channel relative to the location and timing of the uplift.