Assessment of the tectonic activity of Dewana Basin using geomorphological indices, Kurdistan Region, NE Iraq

The Dewana Basin is located south of Sulaimaniya city in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. Majority of the exposed rocks in the basin are clastics with carbonates forming the rims of the basin. Many ridges exist in the studied Dewana Basin, mainly due to the carbonate rocks, along the rims and thick conglomerate beds of the Bai Hassan Formation, besides the tectonic effect, as hanging synclines which form high cliffs. This study aims to deduce the tectonic activity of Dewana Basin by means of using geomorphic indices and to compare the acquired tectonic activity with the regional Neotectonic activity in the basin and near surrounding which is acquired from published Neotectonic map of Iraq. To achieve the aim of this study, Dewana Basin was divided into three sub-basins using DEM data. Accordingly, ArcGIS software was used to calculate the geomorphic indices at each sub-basin, and then the Iat value was indicated. Following the Iat classification, which includes four main classes, we have indicated the tectonic activity of the divided three sub-basins, and accordingly the tectonic activity of Dewana Basin was indicated. The scored value of Iat is 2.33, which means that the tectonic activity of the basin is Moderate. We have also compared the acquired data about the regional Neotectonic activity with the relative tectonic activities in the three sub-basins, using the rates of upward and downward movements as calculated during Late Miocene, Pleistocene, and Holocene. We have found that there is fair relation between the two comparatives.