Geospatial Analysis for Relative Seismic Activity Assessment: A Case Study of Fatima Suture Zone in Western Saudi Arabia

In this paper, we state the usefulness of geomorphic analysis, typically applied to highly deformed landforms, to investigate the tectonic geomorphology of an intercontinental structure: the Fatima suture zone. The Fatima suture zone (FSZ) landscape is a tectonically distinct deformation zone along the eastern coast of the Red Sea in western Saudi Arabia providing a complex zone in terms of geology, tectonics, and geomorphology. This zone presents many deformations and fault reactivations that were produced from the effect of horizontal, vertical, and thrust motions as well as deposition and erosion processes. Through several morphometric analyses, remotely sensed data, and geospatial techniques, we recognized the detailed geomorphic surface features of the Fatima suture zone region. Morphometric indices applied in this paper include the stream length gradient index (SL), basin asymmetry factor index (Af), hypsometric integral index (Hi), valley floor width to valley floor height ratio index (Vf), basin shape index (Bs), and mountain front sinuosity index (Smf). Every single morphometric index provides three different relative tectonic classes based on the assigned value ranges. The overall results obtained from the analysis were averaged and presented as an indicator index namely the relative seismic activity (RSA) index, which was classified into four distinct classes from relatively very high to low seismic activity: class 1 is very high seismic activity (CA & LE; 1.5); class 2 is high seismic activity (1.5 < CA & LE; 2); class 3 is moderate seismic activity (2 < CA & LE; 2.5); and class 4 is low seismic activity (CA > 2.5). Additionally, a combination of the two indices (Smf and Vf) was presented as a quantitative model of the relative seismic activity of the examined mountain fronts. The results of the RSA index provided signatures of all four classes of the study region. Two-thirds of the total area of the study region were recorded as high to very high classes in terms of seismic activity. The paper finally concludes that this integration method allows assessment and evaluation of the highly deformed landscapes related to active tectonism. Despite the impact of the Fatima suture zone providing low to medium activities in some parts, it has a signature control on the recent landscape evolution.