Iranian Journal of Earth Sciences
Volume:14 Issue: 3, Jul 2022

Integrated geophysical techniques have always been useful in identifying subsurface features. In the present study, three integrated geophysical methods of ground-penetrating radar (GPR), resistivity and Multi-channel Analysis (MASW) of surface waves have been utilized for near surface studies and identification of subsurface cavities near the Gadwalian dam. Acquisition of four inline and crossline profiles through GPR (100 MHz shielded antenna), two resistivity profiles through Imaging system and six seismic refraction profiles (MASW) have been made on the selected site having potential subsurface cavities. The processing and interpretation of GPR data through different software’s exhibit variations in amplitude/diffraction patterns and several cavities have been identified in the GPR profiles. Sweetness attributes applied on the GPR data set also validate the cavities and unsaturated/saturated fractures. Slate beds and cavities have also been identified on pseudosections obtained through resistivity imaging. Further studies on 2D shear velocity (Vs30) profiles using MASW analysis for interpretation suggested that the absence of low velocity layer in shallow surface and velocity increase with respect to depth.

The 2-D and 3-D imaging resistivity techniques were used in the current study to determine the shallow subsurface caves in the Haditha region, western Iraq. The 2-D resistivity imaging has been applied at five locations. The dipole-dipole arrangement was selected with an electrode spacing of 2 m. The inverted models show the anomalous resistivity variation between the background rocks and the voids. Which showed shallow cavities at 1 to 6 m depth, whereas some of them are extending to a depth of 23 m. The unconformity layer between Anah and Euphrates formations is the lowest cohesive than the rocks beneath and above it. Providing the best area for the caves to be formed resulted from dissolving its rocks by leaking rainwater and groundwater. The 3-D resistivity imaging technique was selected near some visible caves by collating seven 2D imaging lines in mapping the subsurface extent of such cavities. 3D imaging draws a sub-surface image in presence of 3D inhomogeneity such as caves. The horizontal slices of 3D models show up these caves with anomalous high resistivity at 0-0.80 m, 0.80-1.72 m, 1.72-2.78 m, and 2.78-3.99 m depths. It also shows a group of small caves, such as the sink-hole canals that connect the main cave to the surface. Both 2-D and 3-D resistivity models have marked a very similar spread of subsurface caves in the study area and show some caves, in the upper part of the unconformity layer. The large values of RMS error for models, attributed to the presence of large homogeneities in the study area. Such heterogeneities are mainly caused by a large variation in the subsurface resistivity of the rocks surrounding the caves and the large spread of shallow caves.

Tourmaline minerals are a main petrogenetic tool because of their refractory nature, chemical variability, and extensive occurrence in various geological settings. The Middle-Jurassic Boroujerd igneous rocks are one of the largest bodies that located in the middle part in the Sanandaj-Sirjan Magmatic Arc (SSMA) that introduced into regional metamorphic rocks. They are mostly composed of granitoids (granodiorite, quartz-diorite, and monzogranite) and contain apatite, zircon and tourmaline as abounadant accessory minerals. Tourmalines occur in varying types of mineral assemblages, chemical compositions and individual forms including tourmalinite, quartz-tourmaline vein, as accessory mineral in the more evolved granitoids, and schists. Tourmaline crystal sizes in these rocks varies from very fine to coarse-grained. The colour is brown to black and some crystals displaying a finescale chemical zonation. Tourmaline crystals commonly exhibit cellular features. Based on electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) analyses, schorl is the most abundant type of tourmaline in granitoids but foitite and dravite are common compositions in the pegmatite and schist, respectively. Presence of several tourmaline generations and their compositional trend may indicate time-varying relatively acidic boron-bearing fluids and reflects an anatexic melts influence in their crystallization.

Seven genera and seventeen species of marine Ostracoda are reported for the first time from the Attari section (Qom Formation), northeast of the Semnan, Central Iran. In this section, the Qom Formation outcrops with 280 m thickness lies on the Eocene volcanic and under the Upper Red formation. According to the distribution of index foraminifera, there is conspicuous similarity between larger bentic foraminifera assemblages of the Qom Formation foraminifera and those of the Zagros basin, such as Borelis melo curdica the age of Qom Formation in the Attari section is Early Miocene (Burdigalian). The Miocene and even Oligocene Ostracoda fauna, relatively similar to the Attari section, have been reported from the Mediterranean area and the Proto- Indo- Pacific Ocean. The presence of one species with Paratethian origin in the Qom Formation is strong evidence that during the Burdigalian stage, the sea way between Central Iran and Paratethys basin still existed.

As one of the ways to identify seismological characteristics in the region, determining the quality factor of seismic mapping can provide valuable information about inside the earth. This study investigates local site effects as a function of frequency and presents a new relationship for determining the quality factor in northwestern Iran with regard to local site effects. These sites are selected so that their signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is greater than 5. This study uses the Short-Time Fourier Transform (STFT) method in which a fixed time window and its multiplication by a given signal are used. The coefficients resulting from this transformation are considered as wave amplitudes at any frequency by performing a short-time Fourier transform. The amount of power spectrum decay is used instead of the ground displacement amplitude decay. Local site effects and kappa, a function of the path and site effects, were investigated and became the basis of spectral decay calculations. The results of this study were compared with those of the previous study based on conventional and classical methods and the accuracy of the methods was evaluated using standard deviation (SD) values. Finally, the quality factor equations were obtained for the North-South component (N-S) as Q(f)=(78±2)f^((1.37±0.02)), for the East-West component (E-W) as Q(f)=(62±2)f^((1.5±0.03)), and for the vertical component (Z) as Q(f)=(87±2)f^((1.29±0.03)).

The present study aims to investigate the petrographic, geochemical features, and depositional facies of the Late Triassic Ashin Formation (Nakhlak Group, central Iran). For this purpose, 100 thin sections, and 13 samples of fine-grained sedimentary rocks were analyzed for their petrographic and geochemical characteristics, taken from a 330-m thick section of this formation. The petrographic types identified in this formation include sandstone, siltstone and limestone. This study suggests limestone facies are deposited in upper parts of the distal submarine fan towards the shore, sandstone facies are deposited in the middle part of the distal submarine fan, and the shale facies are deposited in lower parts of the distal submarine fan towards the abyssal plain by turbidity currents. The plotting of petrographic data on ternary diagrams for compositional classification illustrate their composition as litharenites, sub-litharenites, and a few litharenite-feldspathic and shales. Discrete diagrams refer to a tectonic setting of a continental arc complex and the active continental margin. The results of the modal analysis and geochemical data indicate the orogenic re-cycling for these deposits. CIA and CIW indexes indicate moderate weathering of the source area under semi-arid to semi-humid climates.