A Remote Sensing and GIS Based Approach to Growth and Lateral Propagation of Mohand Frontal Anticline: Implications to Seismicity

Tejpal Singh
Earth Sciences, I. I. T. Roorkee (INDIA), Roorkee, India

Himalayan front is marked by presence of frontal anticlines extending parallel to its strike and is one of the most active regions of continental shortening with rates of 5-6cm/yr. Most of this convergence accumulates as elastic strain leading to folding and faulting of rocks. Continued convergence results in growth and lateral propagation of related structures. Therefore an understanding of growth and lateral propagation of these structures is important to understanding of rates and periodicity of seismicity in the Himalayan region. Actively growing structures can be easily picked up on remote sensing data owing to their special geomorphic characters especially the drainage system. In the present study digital elevation data of one such anticlinal structure present between the Ganges and Yamuna rives i.e. Mohand anticline has been used to delineate drainage system. The drainage system comprises of watersheds and stream network that have been used as an important tool for geomorphic characterization based on spatial distribution of morphometric parameters. Morphometric data from both these components indicate active folding above the northeast dipping Himalayan Frontal Thrust (HFT). These data also show a systematic lateral variation in along strike direction. Above data along with ridge geomorphology defined by serial topographic profiles across strike suggest that the Mohand anticline is actively growing and laterally propagating from SE to NW. This also suggests that it is a seismically potential structure capable of generating large earthquakes of Mw 6-7.