IDENTIFYING AND CHARACTERIZING ACTIVE FAULT ZONES IN THE KABUL BLOCK, AFGHANISTAN USING AN INTEGRATED REMOTE SENSING AND GIS APPROACH

This research focuses on detecting and redefining active fault zones, related segments, and lineaments within the Kabul Block in eastern Afghanistan using manual and automatic remote sensing techniques. Additionally, the study aims to develop an active tectonics model that considers local and regional active fault zones in the Kabul Block and its surrounding regions. To achieve these objectives, various remote sensing data sets were utilized, including radar data (Digital Elevation Models [DEMs], Sentinel-1B), optical data (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer [ASTER], Sentinel-2A), and high-resolution imagery from Google Earth Pro.

Manual interpretation of the high-resolution imagery was employed to redefine active fault zones, measure river channel offset, and deflection within the study area. Moreover, automatic algorithms, particularly the LINE module, were utilized to identify geological lineaments, determine their spatial distribution, and assess their correlation with active fault zones. Consequently, an integrated remote sensing approach was established to identify active fault zones and associated structures in any similar geography.

The analysis resulted in the identification of 653 left-lateral, right-lateral, and normal active fault segments within the Kabul Block and surroundings. In addition, DEM-5m data identified 414,069 lineaments ranging from 10 to 948.31 meters in length, while Sentinel-1GRD data detected 86,438 lineaments with lengths between 16.62 and 2469.91 meters. Additionally, Sentinel-2MSI and ASTER data revealed 80,243 lineaments spanning 40 to 2436.47 meters, and 42,443 lineaments ranging from 0.46 to 3722.17 meters across the Kabul Block. Strong correlations were observed between the active fault segments and detected geological lineaments, leading to the proposal of an escaping tectonic model for the Kabul Block.