Detection of fault lineaments of the Zagros fold-thrust belt based on Landsat imagery interpretation and their spatial relationship with Hormoz Series salt dome locations using GIS analysis

In the Zagros structural zone of Iran, there is a broad range of emergent salt domes, a unique morphology in the world that is developed in tectonic environment. In the Zagros fold-thrust belt, emergent salt domes exhibit linear patterns. Such trends appear to be related to linear structural features that are observable by Landsat imagery. Detection of fault lineaments and their spatial relationship with salt dome locations from statistics point of view have been the concerns of this study. Based on the remote sensing analyses, horizontal displacements of parts of folded structures and distribution of Hormuz series salt domes, 34 fault lineaments were detected. A statistical method called the weight of evidence method is used to determine the relationship between salt dome locations and fault lineament trends. For this purpose, a map of the fault lineaments and a map of the salt dome centers were converted to raster model and some buffers were extracted around the fault lineaments; then, the spatial relationship between the salt domes and fault lineaments were quantified using weights of evidence method. Results indicate that the salt domes are associated spatially with the fault lineaments within lateral distances of 1 km. Weights of evidence method shows that the fault lineaments related to tectonics of the region could be the most important factor in emplacement of the salt domes in the study area.