Deducing Folding Form in the Qara Chough South Anticline by Using Structural and Geomorphological Indications, Central Part of Iraq

Abstract

The Qara Chough anticline is a part of the Qara Chough Range, which consists of three parts; the middle one is in the form of a small dome called Makhmour Dome, whereas the northern and southern parts are long and narrow anticlines and are called Qara Chough North and Qara Chough South anticlines. The Qara Chough South anticline is a double plunging with a steeper southwestern limb. The exposed rocks in the anticline are mainly of Oligocene formations, the Euphrates and Fatha formations; however, along with the outer parts of both limbs, rocks of the Neogene formations are exposed with different Quaternary sediments; among them, alluvial fan sediments are the most abundant. The folding form of the Qara Chough South anticline, which is an inverted graben, is deduced through studying and using ESRI World Imagery, Sentinel images, geological maps of different scales, and field data to indicate the structural and geomorphological forms, which can be deduced from the mentioned data. We have also applied different measurements to indicate the type of the fold, and it was found to be a detachment fold. We also have interpreted many geomorphological forms, such as abandoned alluvial fans, fork-shaped valleys, inclined valleys, and radial valleys, and all are reasonable indications for the lateral growth of the anticline.