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DEM and GIS analysis of sub-watersheds to evaluate relative tectonic activity. A case study of the North–south axis (Central Tunisia)

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Abstract

Morphotectonic analysis using geomorphic indexes has been developed as a basic tool to identify recent tectonic deformation in specific areas.This study was undertaken to develop an integrated quantitative geomorphic analysis of tectonic activity in the North–south axis, central of Tunisia. Different geomorphic indexes, including elongation ratio (E), drainage basin asymmetry (Af), hypsometric integral (Hi), Valley floor width-to-height ratio (Vf), mountain front sinuosity (Smf), and stream length gradient index (SL) were calculated. The relationships between the calculated indexes, their correlations and their significance (based on p-values) were also investigated.. Using the hierarchical cluster analysis based on Ward’s method, these indexes were classified into three classes describing the relative, different effect of tectonics in each fault segment. The higher deformation is concentrated in the NE-SW Boudinar fault, followed, in order of decreasing activity, by Goubrar, Gouleb, and Majoura normal faults. This pattern of variation in the relative degree of tectonic activity is consistent with field evidence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Département de Géologie, Unité de recherche UR 11ES14, Dynamiques des bassins sédimentaires et structures géologiques, Université Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia

    Noamen Rebai

  2. Université de Sfax, Ecole Nationale d’Ingénieurs de Sfax, Laboratoire 3 E, U.R Prospection géologique et base de données, Sfax, Tunisie

    Hammadi Achour, Rochdi Chaabouni & Samir Bouaziz

  3. Department of Geography, GIS Research Laboratory, Lebanese University, Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences, P.O. Box 90-1065, Fanar, Lebanon

    Rania Bou Kheir

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  1. Noamen Rebai
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  2. Hammadi Achour
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  3. Rochdi Chaabouni
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  4. Rania Bou Kheir
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  5. Samir Bouaziz
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Correspondence to Noamen Rebai.

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Communicated by: H. A. Babaie

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Rebai, N., Achour, H., Chaabouni, R. et al. DEM and GIS analysis of sub-watersheds to evaluate relative tectonic activity. A case study of the North–south axis (Central Tunisia). Earth Sci Inform 6, 187–198 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12145-013-0121-7

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