Applying Remotely Sensed Imagery to Extract Geological Lineaments South Rifian Ridges, Morocco

Abstract

The South Rifain ridges are an example of tectonic-sedimentation interaction in the Mio-Plio-Quaternary foreland basins at the front of the Rif chain. is an elongated mountain zone-oriented E-W and N-S, forming the most frontal part of the Rif belt. The morphotectonic study carried out in this area is based on Landsat-8 OLI image processing techniques to determine the contribution of these images to structural mapping. The results obtained reveal a predominant E-W orientation, which is widely present throughout the study area. This is followed by a second N-S direction, a third NW-SE direction, and a fourth NE-SW direction. The NW-SE lineaments are also mapped in kilometres. Their equivalent on the ground shows a sinister movement but does not show a significant horizontal displacement of more than a few metres. Together with the NE-SW faults, these faults form a conjugate system of dextral and sinistral faults, compatible with a palaeostress field where the maximum shortening stress is submeridian.