EGU21-2342, updated on 03 Mar 2021
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-2342
EGU General Assembly 2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Examining the suitability of the geomorphic parameters in generating the Relative Index of Active Tectonics: an example from Himalayan Frontal Thrust, India

Aashna Tandon1,2 and Siddharth Prizomwala1
Aashna Tandon and Siddharth Prizomwala
  • 1INSTITUTE OF SEISMOLOGICAL RESEARCH, DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, India (ashnat2612@gmail.com)
  • 2Research scholar, Gujarat University, Navarangpura Ahmedabad, India 380009

This work emphasizes the efficient use of geomorphic parameters to form a unified index ~ Relative Index of Active Tectonics (RIAT), which has seldom been tested in areas with broader variability in the rate of deformation. This study aims to verify whether the geomorphic parameters can be used efficiently for RIAT to assess the spatial variability in deformation along the fault. The Himalayan Frontal Thrust has been chosen for morphotectonic evaluation owing to its active interplate thrust fault setting. For this purpose, we select vertical uplift sensitive geomorphic parameters viz., Mountain front sinuosity (Smf), Valley floor width-height ratio (Vf), and Steepness index (Ksn), as a primary tool to test the RIAT.

The result of RIAT shows the along-strike variation in response to the varying degree of deformation along the HFT. This is in fine agreement with the available long-term uplift/shortening rates and geodetic rates. Overall examination reveals RIAT being an excellent tool to assess the spatial variability in uplift rates in large tectonically active regions. However, the detailed scrutiny of individual geomorphic parameters reveals that only Vf, and the Ksn index are more responsive and go hand-in-hand with the RIAT variation. Whereas, Smf shows no spatial variation and function as least sensitive to such an investigation. The sensitivity of these individual parameters has implications for studies with similar settings elsewhere when quantitative rates are absent.

How to cite: Tandon, A. and Prizomwala, S.: Examining the suitability of the geomorphic parameters in generating the Relative Index of Active Tectonics: an example from Himalayan Frontal Thrust, India, EGU General Assembly 2021, online, 19–30 Apr 2021, EGU21-2342, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-2342, 2021.

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