Tectonogeomorphic investigation of Kashmir Basin NW Himalaya

Abstract

The present study has been carried out in Kashmir Basin (KB), NW Himalaya, to determine the relative tectonic activity using morphotectonic analysis, drainage patterns, lineament analysis and geomorphological field observations. Geomorphic signatures in KB indicate that intrabasinal faults have been quite active during the Quaternary time and have played a dominant role in kinematic and structural evolution of the basin. The manifestation of this activity has been recorded by terrain morphology, uplifted river terraces, warped fluvial surfaces, strath surfaces, fault scarps, offset of Holocene sedimentary successions, braided, and offsetted drainage patterns and recent seismic activity in the region. Presence of active mountain fronts; concave, convex, and concavo-convex hypsometric curves; ambiguous stream gradient index and drainage basin asymmetry, elongated sub-basins clearly manifest tectonic influences in sculpting the basin geometry. The presence of NW-SE to NNE-SSW lineaments that generally strike parallel with the major regional tectonic structures (faults) clearly suggest intense deformation zones produced by ongoing regional tectonism. We propose that the techniques employed, the data obtained and the technical interpretations, are potentially useful and may also be extrapolated to similar tectonically active regions.