Structural Investigations of Afghanistan Deduced from Remote Sensing and Potential Field Data

Hakim Saibi, Masood Azizi, Saad Mogren

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

19 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This study integrates potential gravity and magnetic field data with remotely sensed images and geological data in an effort to understand the subsurface major geological structures in Afghanistan. Integrated analysis of Landsat SRTM data was applied for extraction of geological lineaments. The potential field data were analyzed using gradient interpretation techniques, such as analytic signal (AS), tilt derivative (TDR), horizontal gradient of the tilt derivative (HG-TDR), Euler Deconvolution (ED) and power spectrum methods, and results were correlated with known geological structures. The analysis of remote sensing data and potential field data reveals the regional geological structural characteristics of Afghanistan. The power spectrum analysis of magnetic and gravity data suggests shallow basement rocks at around 1 to 1.5 km depth. The results of TDR of potential field data are in agreement with the location of the major regional fault structures and also the location of the basins and swells, except in the Helmand region (SW Afghanistan) where many high potential field anomalies are observed and attributed to batholiths and near-surface volcanic rocks intrusions. A high-resolution airborne geophysical survey in the data sparse region of eastern Afghanistan is recommended in order to have a complete image of the potential field anomalies.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)978-1003
Number of pages26
JournalActa Geophysica
Volume64
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 1 2016
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Afghanistan
  • gravity
  • magnetic
  • remote sensing
  • structure

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geophysics

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