Detection of surface anomalies through fractal analysis and their relation to morphotectonics (High Zagros belt, Iran)
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Geosciences Journal
GJ
Detection of surface anomalies through fractal analysis and their relation to morphotectonics (High Zagros belt, Iran) Mahnaz Shiran1, Mohammad Ali Zangeneh Asadi1*, Paolo Mozzi2, Hamed Adab1, and Abolghasem Amirahmadi1 1
Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Hakim Sabzevari University, P.O. Box 9617976487, Sabzevar, Khorasan Razavi, Iran Department of Geosciences, University of Padova, Via G. Gradenigo 6, P.O. Box 35131, Padova, Italy
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ABSTRACT: Fractal geometry is considered as a new method for quantitative analysis and explanation of surface complexities and roughness in self-similar or self-affine landforms. In the present study, the surface fractal dimensions were investigated by a cellular model by covering divider method and remote sensing data, in a complex morphotectonic region in terms of tectonic, geological, and geomorphological structures along the margin of the High Zagros Belt. Results of this study indicated that surface anomalies can be detected by cellular fractal model due to variations at the boundary of lithological units and structural zones, and along faults that can change the characters of the fractal dimension of landforms. Investigation of wavelet analyses on two profiles of study area shows that the amplitude and frequency of the fractal dimension is related to lithological and structural zones boundaries, and to the presence of faults. In this study, the lowest fractal dimension is associated with the integrated units of Mesozoic orbitolina limestone on the border of the two structural zones of Sanandaj-Sirjan and High Zagros belt. However, the presence of friable and erodible Quaternary formations increases the fractal dimension. There is an inverse relationship between the fractal dimension and elevation and Terrain Ruggedness Index, indicating that mountains have lower fractal dimensions than lowlands. The results of the present study show that fractal dimensional changes in topographically complex zones depend on the interaction of a set of lithological, tectonic, and geomorphological factors, and allow for a systematic quantitative analysis of landforms. Key words: surface fractal analysis, morphotectonic, High Zagros belt, Sanandaj-Sirjan zone Manuscript received October 24, 2018; Manuscript accepted October 21, 2019
1. INTRODUCTION The fractal theory is a quantitative method for describing a natural phenomenon or an object with irregular shape or irregular distribution (Lopes and Betrouni, 2009). Fractals, like all other mathematical concepts, are abstractions and can be mathematically expressed by the concept of self-similar or selfaffine (Xie and Wang, 1999). In Euclidean mathematics, the topological dimension of a line is 1, a plane dimension is 2, and a cube dimension is 3. But the fractal dimension is a number *Corresponding author: Mohammad Ali Zangeneh Asadi Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Hakim Sabzevari University, P.O. Box 9617976487, Sabzevar, Khorasan Razavi, Iran Tel: +98-9155712485, Fax: +98-5144410104,
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