Subsurface Structural and Crustal Assessment on the Basis of Gravity Data Along Bagh, Dir Kot and Adjoining Areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan

• Main Author: Hadayat ullah, Mubashir Mehmood, Muhammad Jehangir Khan, Sami Ullah, Shahzada Khurram, Murtaza Ali Shah, Abdur Rehman
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Society of Economic Geologists and Mineral Technologists 2020-02-01
• Series: International Journal of Economic and Environment Geology
• Subjects: gravity; azad kashmir; survey; crustal; subsurface
• Online Access: http://www.econ-environ-geol.org/index.php/ojs/article/view/347/265

The research work is based on gravity data is taken from numerous parts of an active tectonic belt of Azad Kashmir to delineate the crustal thickness and demarcation of thin- skin and thick-skin structures in the study area. The study area includes Bagh, Dhirkot, Arja, Kohala, Sudhan Gali, Ghazi Abad, Chikkar and Chakoti. The study area bounded by the latitude 33°59′3′′ and 34°9′22′′ N and longitude 73°37′26′′ and 73°40′16′′ E. The proposed study area is a complex geological entity and is an active zone. This study has been focused to assess the subsurface lithology and structural geometry present in Bagh and surrounding areas. For this purpose the gravity data has been acquired with the help of CG-5 Auto-grav using multi-profile survey technique. Gravity model suggested that Riasi Thrust in the study zone is plunging at an angle of 42° NE and pierces to a depth of 7 km in the sub-surface. The model also suggested that Bagh Basement Fault in the study area is dipping at an angle of 75° NE in the crystalline basement up to Moho depth. Shaheed Galli Thrust has been delineated in Dhirkot area. The fault dips at 49° NE and penetrated up to a depth of 8 km in the sedimentary/meta-sedimentary wedge. The geological model demarcated, 11 km depth of sedimentary/meta-sedimentary wedge in the southwest and 13 km in the northeast area. The crustal thickness increases from 51 km in the southwest area to about 53.17 km in the northeast area.