The Indication of Geomorphic Evidence for Lateral Propagation of Sheikhan Anticline - Zagros Fold and Thrust Belt – Northern Iraq
Abstract
The Sheikhan anticline is situated north of Mosul City near the Sheikhan town in the southwest boundary of the high folded zone within the part of the Zagros zone in the Iraqi segment. It is an asymmetrical double plunging anticline, and oriented in a NW SE trend, it is verging to the northeast as the forelimb attitude, and the NW plunging area is wider than the pointed SE plunging area. The oldest exposed outcrops belong to Upper Cretaceous age; it locally forms the backbone of the mountain. Whereas, the thickly bedded hard limestone beds of the Pila Spi Formation, limestone and marls of Fatha Formation and, marls, siltstones, sandstones of Injana Formation form the flanks of the anticline. The geomorphological features explained by direct field data, integrated with the analysis of satellite image programs are used to deduce the directional side-propagation of the fold. It was found that the propagation of the anticline was started to form (present situation) northwest toward the southeast. Deep-seated transversal faults were controlled somehow to side-propagation imprinted as dome-like west of Gully Keer valley, and also wind gap and water gap may follow these fault traces. Some structural phenomena that define the progression of folding have been observed and explained.
