Physiographic Characteristics Along the Ibex Protectorate: Remote Sensing Application, Hotet Bani Tamim, Central Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Tuwiaq plateau is one of the most characteristic physiographic components of central Saudi Arabia. The Middle Jurassic limestone was the result of the natural harmony between the Tethys sedimentation, tectonics, and climate. The plateau was studied within the Ibex Protectorate of Hotet Bani Tamim area. Remote sensing applications on satellite images of 2019 were able to measure the geomorphology, distinguish the sedimentary units, and emphasized the role of tectonics in dividing the plateau to step-like escarpment, elevated from 1080 m at Al-Onouk the extreme northwest to 600m at Al-Hulwah with an average slope of 0.8cmm -1 . The slope at catchment reaches up to 70° while at the downstream not more than 16°. Two basins are detected at the Ibex protectorate, these are Wadi Meta'am basin and Wadi Bowydan-Nokhailan basin who down flow into Wadi Meta'am and Wadi Berek respectively). Wadi Meta'am derives its water through three tributaries Al-Ghaba, Ghafar, and Al-Agmaa, while Wadi Bowydan, on the other hand, cuts deeper and drain water with Wadi Nokhailan downstream to Wadi Berek. The high-density dendritic drainage pattern with 5 th and 6 th order tributaries support the vulnerability of the area to flash flood hazards. The heavy rains were able to sculpt such an amazing geomorphosite and leave its finger prints in the form of deep streams (about 140m depth), channel lags of cobbles and pebbles, Quaternary thick colluvium, water-saturated soils, and karstic features such as the small pool, calcretes and travertines. The present study seeks the importance to schedule the area within the program of development according to the vision 2030 and to add among the geoheritage sites