Aqra Anticline: A Growing Structure in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region

Ala A. Ghafur; Varoujan K. Sissakian; Hawkar A. Abdulhaq; Hassan O. Omar

doi:10.14500/aro.10535

Ala A. Ghafur Department of Natural Resources Engineering and Management, University of Kurdistan Hewler, Kurdistan Region http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8535-2472
Varoujan K. Sissakian Department of Natural Resources Engineering and Management, University of Kurdistan Hewler, Kurdistan Region http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9840-5422
Hawkar A. Abdulhaq Department of Natural Resources Engineering and Management, University of Kurdistan Hewler, Kurdistan Region http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8639-3225
Hassan O. Omar Department of Natural Resources Engineering and Management, University of Kurdistan Hewler, Kurdistan Region http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0232-5653

Keywords: Aqra anticline, En-echelon plunging, Lateral growth, Radial valleys, Water gap

Abstract

Aqra Anticline is a double plunging anticline, oriented NW–SE with a steep southwestern limb and even overturned. Geomorphological features are interpreted using satellite images, as a result, it was found that the anticline shows clear geomorphological and structural features which indicate the lateral growth of the anticline. Among those features are water gaps, wind gaps, forked-shaped valleys, curved valleys, inclined valleys and dislocated and abandoned alluvial fans. Some of the vague interpreted features were checked and confirmed in the field.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Ala A. Ghafur, Department of Natural Resources Engineering and Management, University of Kurdistan Hewler, Kurdistan Region

Ala Abdulla Ghafur is an assistant professor at the department of Natural Resources Engineering and Management, University of Kurdistan-Hewler. She got the B.Sc. in Geology from University of Sulaimani and the MPhil-PhD. degree from Cardiff University-UK in Petroleum Geology. Her research interest is in Carbonate Sedimentology, Diagenesis, Reservoir Characterizations and Formation Evaluation. Dr. Ala is a member in Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE).

Varoujan K. Sissakian, Department of Natural Resources Engineering and Management, University of Kurdistan Hewler, Kurdistan Region

Varoujan K. Sissakian graduated from the University of Baghdad in 1969 with B.Sc. degree in Geology, and M.Sc. in Engineering Geological Mapping from I.T.C., the Netherlands in 1982. He joined Iraq Geological Survey (GEOSURV) in 1971 and was nominated as Expert in 2005; retired in 2012. He has 125 documented reports in GEOSURV's library and 145 published articles in different geological aspects in different geological journals and 20 articles in different stages of publications. He was the Deputy Vice President of the Middle East Subcommission of the Committee of Compilation the Geological Map of the World (CGMW), Paris, from February 2010 until August 2012. He was Visiting Lecturer in University of Kurdistan, Hewler, since October, 2014 and Lecturer since February, 2017. Currently, he is a Lecturer in the University of Kurdistan Hewler.

Hawkar A. Abdulhaq, Department of Natural Resources Engineering and Management, University of Kurdistan Hewler, Kurdistan Region

Hawkar Ali Abdulhaq is a Teaching and Laboratory Assistant at the Department of Natural Sciences and Engineering, School of Science and Engineering, University of Kurdistan Hawler. He got the B.Sc. degree in Geology and the M.Sc. degree in Earth Science Engineering. His research interests are in tectonics, subsurface and structural geology.

Hassan O. Omar, Department of Natural Resources Engineering and Management, University of Kurdistan Hewler, Kurdistan Region

Hassan Othman Omer is a Teaching and Laboratory assistant at the Department of Department of Natural Resources Engineering and Management at University of Kurdistan Hewlêr. He got his B.Sc. degree in applied geophysics from Damascus University. His area of expertise covers, drilling oil and water wells, formation Evaluation, Core processing engineering, and mud logging. He had worked with several international oil companies in Kurdistan; Gazprom, ALS Group and TAQA Energy.

References

Alavi, M., 2004. Regional stratigraphy of the zagros fold thrust belt of iran and its proforeland evolution. American Journal of Science, 304, pp.1-20.

Al-Kubaisi, M.S., and Abdul, J.M.F., 2015. Effect of lateral propagation of selected folds on streams, Sulaimaniyia Area, NE Iraq. Iraqi Bulletin of Geology and Mining, 11(1), p.95-124.

Allen, M., Jackson, J., and Walker, R., 2004. Late Cenozoic reorganisation of the Arabia Eurasia collision and the comparison of short-term and long-term deformation rates. Tectonics, 23, p.TC2008.

Alvarez, W., 1999, Drainage on evolving fold-thrust belts: A study of transverse canyons in the Apennines. Basin Research, 11, pp.267-284.

Bennett, E., Youngson, J., Jackson, J., Norris, R., Raisbeck, G., Yiou, F., and Fielding, E., 2005. Growth of South Rough Ridge, Central Otago, New Zealand: Using in situ cosmogenic isotopes and geomorphology to study an active, blind reverse fault. Journal of Geophysics Researches, 110, p.B02404.

Blanc, E.J.P., Allen, M.B., Inger, S., and Hassani, H., 2003. Structural styles in the Zagros simple folded zone, Iran. Journal of Geological Society, 160, pp.401-412.

Bretis, B., Bartl, N., and Graseman, B., 2011. Lateral fold growth and linkage in the Zagros fold and thrust belt (Kurdistan, NE Iraq). Basin Research, 23, pp. 615-630.

Burbank, D.W., and Anderson, R.S., 2001. Tectonic Geomorphology. Blackwell Science Malden, MA, USA.

Burbank, D.W., and Pinter, N., 1999. Landscape evolution: The interactions of tectonics and surface processes. Basin Research, 11, pp. 1-6.

Cannat, M., Rommevaux-Jestin, C., Sauter, D., Deplus, C., and Mendel, V., 1999. Formation of the axial relief at the very slow spreading Southwest Indian Ridge (49° to 69°E). Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, American Geophysical Union, 104(B10), pp.22825-22843.

Cartwright, J.A., Trudgill, B., and Mansfield, C.S., 1995. Fault growth by segment linkage: An explanation or scatter in maximum displacement and trace length data from the Canyon lands Grabens of SE Utah. Journal of Structural Geology, 17, pp.1319-1326.

Collignon, M., Yamato, P., Castelltort, S., and Boris, K.B., 2016. Modelling of wind gap formation and development of sedimentary basins during fold growth: Application to the Zagros Fold Belt, Iran. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 41(11), p.1521-1535.

Delcailleau, B., Carozza, J.M., and Laville. E., 2006. Recent fold growth and drainage development: The Janauri and Chandigarh anticlines in the Siwalik foothills, Northwest India. Geomorphology, 76, pp. 241-256.

Fouad, S.F., 2012. Tectonic Map of Iraq, Scale 1: 1000 000. 3rd ed. Iraq Geological Survey Publications, Baghdad, Iraq.

Keller, E.A., and Pinter, N., 2002. Active Tectonics, Earthquakes, Uplift and Landscape. 2nd ed. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, pp.362.

Keller, E.A., Gurrola, L., and Tierney, T.E., 1999. Geomorphic criteria to determine direction of lateral propagation of reverse faulting and folding. Geology, 27(6), p.515-518.

Mosavi, E.J., and Arian, M., 2015. Tectonic geomorphology of Atrak River, NE Iran. Open Journal of Geology, 5, p.106-114.

Mumipour, M., and Najad H.T., 2011. Tectonic geomorphology setting of khayiz anticline derived from GIS processing, Zagros mountain, Iran. Asian Journal of Earth Sciences, 4(3), p.1711-1782.

Oberlander, T.M., 1985. Origin of drainage transverse to structures in orogens. In: Morisawa, M., Hack, J.T., editors. Tectonic Geomorphology, the Binghampton Symposia in Geomorphology. Vol. 15. Allen and Unwin, Boston. pp.155-182.

Ramsey, L.A, Walker, R,T., and Jackson, J., 2008. Fold evolution and drainage development in the Zagros Mountains of Fars Province, SE Iran. Basin Research, 20, pp.23-48.

Sissakian, V.K., 2010. Neotectonic movements in Darbandi Bazian Area, southwest of Sulaimaniyah city, NE Iraq. Iraqi Bulletin of Geology and Mining, 6(2), pp.57-69.

Sissakian, V.K., Ameen, R.M., and Mohammed, J.G., 2018. Lateral growth of qara dagh anticline, South of Sulaimaniyah city, NE Iraq: A structural geomorphological study. Iraqi Bulletin of Geology and Mining, 14(2), pp.9531-9547.

Sissakian, V.K., and Abdul-Jabbar, M.F., 2010. Morphometry and genesis of the main transversal gorges in North and Northeast Iraq. Iraqi Bulletin of Geology and Mining, 6(1), pp.95-120.

Sissakian, V.K., and Al-Jiburi, B.M., 2014. Stratigraphy. In: Geology of the High Folded Zone. Iraqi Bulletin of Geology and Mining, Iraqi. pp.73-161.

Sissakian, V.K., and Fouad, S.F., 2014. Geological Map of Erbil Quadrangle, Scale 1: 250000. 3rd ed. Iraq Geological Survey Publications, Baghdad, Iraq.

Sissakian, V.K., Fouad, S.F., Abdulhaq, H.A., and Omer, H.O., 2019. Geological Map of Erbil and Mahabad Quadrangles, Scale 1: 250000. 3rd ed. Iraq Geological Survey Publications, Baghdad, Iraq.

Sissakian, V.K., Kadhum, T.H., and Abdul Jab’bar, M.F., 2014. Geomorphology. In: The Geology of the High Folded Zone. Iraqi Bulletin of Geology and Mining, Iraqi. pp.7-56.

Skilodimou, H.D., Bathrellos, G.D., Maroukian, H., and Gaki-Papanastassiou, H.K., 2014. Late quaternary evolution of the lower reaches of ziliana stream in South Mt. Olympus (Greece). Geografia Fisica e Dinamica Quaternaria, 37(1), pp.43-50.

Vergés, J., 2007. Drainage responses to oblique and lateral thrust ramps: A review. In: Nichols, G., Paola, C., and Williams, E.A., editors. Sedimentary Processes, Environments and Basins: A Tribute to Peter Friend. International Association of Sedimentologists, Blackwell Publishing, Hoboken, New Jersey. pp.29-47.