The Effect of uplift rate on geomorphic indices: insight to Misho Complex NW Iran

The Misho Mountain is a prominent topographic feature in the North-West of Iran. This mountain is bounded with series of major active faults. Spatial array of these faults caused an uplift in the study area, and exposure of Kahar Formation in the core of the mountain. The active deformation affected topographic feature and changed the uplift rate. In this research we tried to quantify variation of uplift rate by using geomorphic indices and thermochronometry data. The analysis of stream length gradient, mountain front morphology, valley shape, and basin morphology indicated that uplift rate decreased from North to South and West to East. Hypsometric integral, which was calculated for the northern and southern flanks of Misho Mountain, also shows mature stage for the Southern flank, but in the Northern Misho tectonic activity increased and consequent;y show unstable state. Comparing between maximum and minimum swath profile in the west, central and east Misho indicated that in the west Misho the min and max swath profile indicate greater difference and show rapid uplift in the west Misho. Thermochronologic data show that rapid exhumation commenced by 21-22 Ma (Miocene), and an uplift rate of 0.16 to 0.24 Km/Ma was estimated. We propose that the range might be exhumed diachronously along strike and the magnitude of exhumation decreases to the ESE. This result is supported by structural and stratighraphy of study area.