GEOSCIENCES
Year:2012 | Volume:21 | Issue:82|Papers Count:29

The current process of issuing industrial and mineral licenses is complex and time consuming. More specific, industry establishment generally makes environmental pollution. Such negative impact on environment is due to not using proper information and mechanisms for site selection and license issuance. This research suggests a new process/method based on WebGIS enable e-government to simplify the issuance of industrial licenses, with special consideration of environmental impacts. To study, issuance of license for cement factory establishment is chosen as a case study. Investigation of the current process of certificating a cement factory establishment shows necessity of complex official process and long time consumption; also environmental considerations are not regarded properly. Then using concepts and aims of e-government and the abilities of geographical information systems in analyzing and spatial decision making, a new method to issue the industrial license is suggested. To show and evaluate the proposed method, architecture of a web based distributed geographical information system is designed and implemented. The results of the research indicate that the issuance of license for cement factory establishment using recommended method is performed in less time and with regarding the environment issues. The suggested process/method can be regarded as a pattern for creating spatial enabled e-government in industrial and mineral activities of the country.

Lower-red, Qom and Upper-red Formations with Pliocene conglomerates were all folded in Shurab syncline containing northwest-southeast axial trace in southeast Qom city. In the southeastern part of the northern limb of the Shurab syncline, gypsum and marl elastic units of the Qom Formation have played a detachment surface role against the most competent layers of the Upper-red Formation due to high competency contrast. Rock units of the Qom Formation were thickened and locally folded with about north-northeast orientation in the southeastern part of the northern limb of the Shurab syncline. The thickening and folding in this part of the Shurab syncline is interpreted as the shearing process which has been produced in a shear zone initiated between the detachment surface and the Qom fault segment in the northern part of the Shurab syncline that was activated by right-lateral strike-slip displacement of the Qom fault in post Miocene.

Chichakloo Lead and Zinc mineralized area is one of mineral potential areas, located in Lead and Zinc belt limit of Takab zone and 25 km far from Anguran mine. This ore deposit has been prospected and explored in different scales several times within the last few decades. The last exploration activity over the deposit is the detailed geophysical survey (using resistivity and induced polarization methods) and also geochemical survey for potential mapping of Lead and Zinc zones. In this paper, after modeling and interpretation of geophysical data and processing and interpretation of geochemical data, we have prepared suitable exploration maps in GIS environment. For this, we have taken a new fuzzy approach for exploration maps using trapezoidal membership function. Then, for integration of exploration fuzzy layers, we have used fuzzy operations. The results of investigation of the final integrated exploration map indicate lead and zinc zones having a fuzzy favorability of greater than 0.5 in southeast of the study area that is obtained from remarkable overlapping of geophysical and geochemical anomalies.

Marun Oilfield is one of the main Iranian Oilfield in Dezful Embayment, Zagros area which was studied geochemically in this paper. Forty three samples from different source and reservoir rocks include Garue, Gadvan, Dariyan, Kazhdumi, Sarvak, Gurpi and Pabdeh formations from different oil wells were analyzed by Rock Eval VI. In addition, 23 selected extract bitumens and 6 crude oils of Bangestan and Khami reservoirs were studied by Liquid Chromatography and Gas Chromatography to compare with each other. Rock Eval data showed that Kazhdumi and Pabdeh formations with average TOC of 4.13 wt% and more than 12 mg HC/g rock amount of S2 had high hydrocarbon potential regard to other samples. HI vs. Tmax and S2 vs. TOC diagrams indicated that the Type II kerogen was the main type of kerogen in studied samples. Furthermore, Garue, Gadvan and Kazhdumi samples have high thermal maturity in compare with other samples. Also, variations of PI and Tmax versus depth indicate that Pabdeh and Gurpi samples had less thermal maturity in compare with Kazhdumi and Garue samples. Chromatograms study and variation of Pr/nC17 and Ph/nC18 indicate that studied samples have no or little evidence of biodegradation and crude oils of Bangestane and Khami reservoirs was formed in anoxic environment from the source rock with type II kerogen.

Middle Jurassic strata are well developed northeast of Damghan (E Alborz). At the study section the Dalichai Formation has a maximum thickness of 156 m, consisting of an alternation of bluish-grey limestones and marls, being subdivided into 4 members. The lower boundarywith the siliciclastics of the underlying Shemshak Formation is unconformable due to the Mid-Cimmerian tectonic event, whereas the upper boundary with the light and cliff-forming carbonates of the Lar Formation is gradational. The Dalichai Formation at the study section is very fossiliferous. Summing up 1750 fossil specimens were collected, among which the ammonoids with 1491 specimens clearly predominate. Altogether 27 genera, 33 species of ammonites, belonging to 6 biozones (Parkinsoni Zone, Zigzag-Aurigerus zones, Subcontractus Zone, Bullatus-Gracilis zones, Anceps-Coronatum zones, Athleta Zone) has been recognized. In addition 17 genera and 8 species of planktonic and benthic foraminifers are described. These can be divided into 2 biozones. The fossil-content is mainly concentrated within few meters of red and nodular limestone in the upper part of the section. Based on the ammonite fauna the age of the Dalichai Formation in the investigated area ranges from Upper Bajocian to Oxfordian. Paleobigeographically the fauna shows close relationship to western Europe and Sub-Mediterranean region. This indicates a paleogeographic position of the area at the northern Tethys during the Middle-Upper Jurassic.

Structures in fold-thrust belts such as Zagros which are developing mainly along the belt strike often terminate at the transverse structures. The Zagros Mountain Front Fault has cut and displace at different parts by transverse structures. At Dowgonbadan area this fault is intersected by the Kharg-Mish transverse structure. The Mish anticline has transported fault propagation geometry and located on hanging wall of the Mountain front fault. The anticline plunges and rotates when it reaches to the Kharg-Mish transverse fault to the west. In the fault footwall, however, the Dil, Pahn, Sarab and Jafarabad anticlines have rounded geometry and low amplitude show characteristics of the Dezful Embayment zone folds. The Dil and Pahn anticlines with bifurcate geometry and outcrop of Asmari Formation develop parallel to the frontal ramp strike and show footwall anticlines that propagated from the frontal ramp at Dashtak formation as delay structures with respect to the hanging wall structures. The Kharg-Mish fault identify as a lateral ramp on the surface by termination of longitudinal structures and at the depth with thickness and facies changes of the Ilam Formation. The structural characteristics of the Dowghonbadan area in the Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt are analyzed as the interaction of the Mountain Front fault and the Kharg-Mish transverse fault as the frontal and lateral ramps, respectively.

The Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous Orzuieh volcanic sequence is exposed in the southern part of the Sanandaj - Sirjan Zone. Major and trace element geochemistry shows magma evolution from the transitional to the calc-alkaline series. Clinopyroxene compositions are similar to their composition in subduction setting and support a volcanic arc related environment. REE and trace element diagrams show enrichment patterns in LREE relative to HREE and depletion in Nb and Ta elements. This magmatic sequence has been originated from the mantle source with effect of liquids and sediment resulted from the subducting slab. The Orzuieh volcanic sequence is probably originated during the subduction of the Neo-Tethyan Oceanic lithosphere under the Sanandaj - Sirjan Zone, during the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous time, in the volcanic arc tectonic environment.

The results of physicochemical parameters (pH, Eh, EC, TDS, TH, TA, T, and Salinity) and chemical analyses of the springs and drinking water samples of the study area indicate obvious variation compared to each other. Based on these results, the minimum pH and maximum of TDS, EC, salinity, total hardness(TH), total alkalinity(TA) parameters and cations and anions, major and trace elements (especially As and Sb) concentrations in spring water samples belong to spring Aq.D1-1(located downstream of Aq-Darreh Bala abandoned antimony mine) and spring Sp.5 (downstream of tailing dams of Aq-Darreh Au mineral processing unit) samples, and the drinking water samples of the Aq-Darreh Paeen village ( spring D.W.P). The Aq-Darreh Paeen drinking water, supplied from the spring near the village, outpoured from the mineralized travertine. Compare to the international standards, main cations and anions concentrations and physicochemical parameters values (exception total hardness) of the springs and drinking water samples are located in permissible ranges. While, Aq-D1-1, Sp.5 and W.D.P springs water samples are polluted regarding to total hardness value and As concentration. Based on the geological map of the study area and location of the all spring water samples (except spring Sp.5), it can be concluded that the chemical composition of the bed rocks around the springs had the main role in controlling the water quality, and the main cause of Sp.5 water spring contamination is polluted waters leaked from the tailing dams of Aq-Darreh Au mineral processing unit.

Crustal structure of the Iranian plateau which is located between two convergent Arabian and Eurasian plates is studied. Teleseismi earthquakes recorded by broad band stations of Iranian National Seismic Network (INSN) are used to compute the receiver functions for each station. Rayleigh wave phase velocity dispersion curves were estimated employing two-station methods for all possible station pair of the above mentioned seismic network. A combined inversion of Rayleigh wave phase velocities and body wave receiver functions increases the uniqueness of the solution over separate inversions and also facilitates explicit parameterization of layer thickness in the model space. Our result indicates the crustal thickness differs from a minimum of 40 ±2 km in southeast of Iran, (ZHSF) to a maximum of 56 ±2km beneath the Sanandaj-Sirjan zone (SNGE). We observe a crustal thickness of 47 ±2km beneath the central Zagros (GHIR) to 52 ±2km below the eastern most of Zagros (BNDS), then to 47 ±2km beneath the northwestern part of the Zagros (SHGR). Crust of the Central Iran (KRBR) has a thickness of 48 ±2 km while the average Moho depth in southern parts of the Central Alborz (DAMV and THKV stations) is 54±2km. Our analysis shows a thinning of the crust to 43 ±2 km beneath the northwest of Iran (MAKO) and western part of the Caspian basin (GRMI).

Three rock units have been identified in Shamsabad and Runiz stratigraphic sections of Asmari Formation in internal Fars region. Gastropods of Shamsabad and Runiz stratigraphic sections belong to four orders, Mesogastropoda, Neogastropoda, Architaenioglossa, Sorbeoconcha. Seven genuses and three subgenus have been recognized in lower and middle parts. In general, four genuses and one subgenus of gastropods in lower part indicating the age of Chatian, two genuses and two subgenus in middle part are indicating the age of Aquitanian and a genus in upper part indicating the age of middle Eocene (lower boundary of Asmari Formation) has been observed with foraminifers species that include Somalina stefunini, Rhapydionina urensis. the age of Asmari Formation gastropods in the studied region is alike with associated foraminifera biozones that include, Nummulites fichteli - Nummulites intermedius - Nummulites vascus assemblage - zone, indicating the age of Chatian and Austroterillina howchini - Peneroplis evolutus assemblage - zone, indicating the age of Aquitanian. Gastropods recognized in sections, are listed below: Olivella sp., Mitra sp., Ampullina sp., Ampullospira sp., Campanile sp., Strombus sp., Natica sp., Tortoliva sp., Lithoconus sp., Dendroconus sp.

The Kahduiyeh tectonized Ophiolite exposed at the extreme northern part of Dehshir-Baft Ophiolite belt in the southern margin of centeral Iran microcontinent, comprise of mantle peridotites and crustal sequence. The serpentinized peridotites have cpx- bearing harzhburgite and lherzholite compositions which cross cut by diabase isolated dikes. The plutonic part of crustal sequence consist isotropic gabbro, diabase sheeted dike complex, intruded by wherlitic intrusion, quartz diorite, pegmatite gabbro and plagiogranite-tronjemite. The volcanic sequence consist of the intercalation of the chert and radiolarite, pelagic limestone have the Upper Cretaceous micro faunas at base of sequence and hyaloclasic braccia, hyaloclastite, sheet flow, tuff and pillow lave on top of the sequence. Study of chemical analysis indicating a suprasubduction origin and enrichments for REE, Rb, Ba and Th might be affecting of slab-derived fluids. It seem that Kahduiyeh tectonized Ophiolite display a consistent sequence of events during their formation and evolution, includes birth, youth and maturity stages which is a natural consequence of ophiolite formation in the Supra-subduction zones.

I In order to investigate lithostratighraphical and biostratigraphical as well as determination of exact contact between the Sarvak and Ilamformations in oil well X-01 of Bahregansar field thin microscopic sections, final well reports and its illustrative diagram were studied. The Sarvak Formation with a thickness of 206 m overlies the black to dark-green marls of Kazhdomi Formation with a gradual contact. This formation can be divided into 2 members and consist mainly of dolomite and dolomitic limestone. The Ilam Formation is considered in a depth ranging from 2672 to 2678 m in the studied well based on studied section and is mainly formed of clay limestone and thin-bedded limestone. This formation is covered by Gurpi Formation with a gradual contact and has a disconformity contact with the Sarvak Formation. Moreover, the age of the Ilam Formation has been considered as Coniacian - Early Campanian which is formed of pelagic facies in the studied area. A number of 22 species belonging to 23 genera have been identified that 6 genera and 11 species belong to the Ilam Formation and 11 species of 17 genera belong to the Sarvak Formation. Considering the identified fauna in the Sarvak Formation, the three following biozones were identified conforming to biozones presented by Wind (1965):1-Nezzazata - Alveolinids Assemblage Zone # 25; 2-Rudist debris # 24; 3-“Oligostegina” facies # 26. Presented biozones and principle of super position indicate Cenomanian age for the Sarvak Formation that consist of pelagic and neretic facies. Moreover, the age of the Ilam Formation has been considered as Coniacian - Early Campanian which is formed of pelagic facies in the studied area.

The studied area is located at southeast of Myaneh, in east Azarbaijan province. The tourism industry, especially geotourism is a new approach for improving of coexistence of human and nature, in order to make economic benfites is nowadays very important for local development. By evaluation of natural potential of areas with direction, planning and physical developments in the direction of tourisms industry and absorption of tourist especially in national and international scale, can help to provide job opportunities.This study, by investigating a small sample of geotourism potential of the country, tries to help a new approach towards the natural resources of the country. Threfore in this study, for investigation and evaluation of geotourism potentials of the study area, the taget function and traversing the geomorphological and geological features are carried out. In the model, using advantage coefficient (dij), it is possible to allocate tourism potential preferential to different locations and announce the location with highest advantage coefficient as top tourism localities. This research is a case study for using madvantage coefficient model for the Qaflankuh area in east Azarbaijan. This area has unique, intact historical and natural features that can attract tourists. The variety of rocks in the area (andesite, basalt, rhyolite, ignimberite, fissure dykes, agates, perlite, faults, agglomerates, volcanic breccias, and volcanic bomb) has provided spectacular sights for every geosciences and geography. Qaleh Dokhtar and Pol- Dokhtar are example of historical-cultural sites. The results of this study, introduces the study area as a scientific geopark and as a natural history museum.

The methodology of geometrical modeling of the earth surface deformation [surface deformation tensor of the first kind (tensor of strain), linearized surface rotation tensor, and surface deformation tensor of the second kind (tensor of change of curvature)] is done using different kind of space geodetic data (VLBI, SLR, GPS, DORIS, Levelling). In this study the tensor of change of curvature and its invariants and the change of the mean and Gaussian curvature in the Lagrangian portrayal was computed using GPS observation to monitor the subsidence of Mashhad and Neyshabour area. For this purpose, coordinates and displacement rates (velocities) of Iranian Permanent GPS Network (Khorasan area) in Eurasian frame derived in 2007 were analyzed. The maximum value of the rate of mean and Gaussian curvature difference are 14×10-14/myr and 4×10-20/myr respectively in study area. The patterns of numerical analysis confirm land subsidence induced by over explosion of ground water in study area.

Sangan iron ore deposit is located in 308 km southeast of Mashhad and eastern structural zone of Iran. Due to the high grade, low P-content and high reserve, Sangan is regarded as one of the major iron ore deposits in Iran. The important anomalies in Sangan consist of east, central and west anomalies that Dardvey deposit is a typical magnetite-rich skarn developed along the contact of Sarnowsar I-type granite Oligo-Miocene age with high magnesium carbonate of Upper Cretaceous, formed in central anomaly. Dardvey deposit comprises of exoskarn, endoskarn and ore zones. The endoskarn zone is limited while exoskarn is extensive zone and includes sub-zones of garnet skarn, garnet-pyroxene skarn and pyroxene skarn in intrusive body side and epidote skarn beyond the intrusive body. Field evidence, mineralogical and microthermometry studies show three zones including; 1) intrusion of granitoid bodies in ranges of 320 to 5200C and 1kb pressure, 2) skarn mineralization zone consists of prograde stage are developed within the temperature ranges from 310 to 490°C in average salinity of 33.6 (wt.% NaCl), in association with metasomatic mineralization during a retrograde stage, developed within temperature ranges from 190 to 310°C in average fluid salinity of 13.6 (wt.% NaCl) accompanied by magnetite ore and massive pyrite, chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite. The late mechanism, including quartz vein-type mineralization and barren veins occurrence, comprises of subhedral to anhedral pyrite, chalcopyrite and phologopite bearing veins that occurred in two substages from 360 to 4400C temperature and average salinity of 33.4 (wt.% NaCl) and from 235 to 320°C temperature and average salinity of 14.6 (wt.% NaCl) in the skarn zone and intrusive body. According to studies, it may be fluid mixing and ore fluid dilution mechanisms by implications of low-temperature and salinity meteoric water and also, chemical composition changes of ore fluid due to water-rock interaction was the possible mechanism for ore-metal deposition of magnetite in the skarn zones and formation of sulfide ore minerals in the hydrothermal quartz vein and veinlets in late stage of mineralization in the area.

Zn-Pb-Cu mineralization in the Chahgaz area, located 60 km south of Shahre Babak, occurs within a Middle Jurassic metamorphosed bimodal volcano-sedimentary sequence in the South Sanandaj-Sirjan zone. Mineralization occurs associated with exhalites within units 1and 2 of the host sequence as numerous occurrences, and within unit 3 as Chahgaz deposit and some occurrences hosted by meta-rhyolitic tuff, metarhyolite, and meta-pelites, as predominantly stratiform, tabular and sheeted-like orebodies at specific stratigraphic horizons. Ore textures include massive, semi-massive, banded, laminated, disseminated and vein-veinlets. Ore minerals are predominantly pyrite, sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite, tetrahedrite, arsenopyrite, and minor bornite and pyrrhotite, and gangue minerals include dominantly sericite, quartz, chlorite and barite. Wallrock alteration is dominated by sericitic and chloritic and minor carbonatic and silicic types. Altered host rocks have been foliated due to metamorphism and deformation, and along with the associated ores have been folded and faulted and show cataclastic, triple junctions, pressure shadows, crenulations, and boudinage features. Based on geological, mineralogical, geochemical and alteration studies, it is inferred that Zn-Pb-Cu mineralization in the Chahgaz area has occurred as volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS)-type in an arc rift basin, and has subsequently been metamorphosed under greenschist facies conditions during the Late Cimmerian and Laramid orogenies and younger events. This mineralization, in comparison with similar deposits in the world, has the most similarities with those deposits of siliciclastic felsic-type in the Bathurst Mining Camp, Canada, and Iberian Pyrite Belt in Spain and Portugal; and it is the first recognition of this type in Iran.

Intrusion of the Alvand complex (intrusions formed during Jurassic) into the host metapelitic rocks (schists) created pelitic hornfelses and anatectic migmatites in the Alvand aureole. Partial melting in the Alvand aureole was restricted to pelitic bulk compositions. Existing of spinel-quartz minerals and appearance of orthopyroxene in these rocks marks the transition from amphibolite- to granulite-facies conditions, and is commonly attributed to the process of fluid-absent partial melting. Reactions Sil/And + Bt = Crd + Spl+ Kfs + melt and Bt+Als+Pl+Qtz = Grt+Kfs+melt, are the most reactions for the development of melt in the metapelitic rocks of Alvand aureole. This metamorphism is mainly controlled by conductive heat transfer through magmatic intrusions into all levels of the crust. The Hamadan metamorphic rocks have experienced multiple episodes of metamorphism driven by burial and heating during arc construction and collision during subduction of a Neotethyan seaway and subsequent oblique collision of Afro-Arabia (Gondwana)with the Iranian microcontinent in the Jurassic-Cretaceous, and these events are associated with local partial melting at high grades, near the Alvand complex pluton.

The study area, located in 40 km southeast of Eghlid town, is a metamorphozed terrain situated between the Eghlid fault and the Zagros Mai Thrust and is a part of the southeastern Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone. The area consists of the highly deformed rocks which have been emerging clearly in dextral shear zones. Mesoscopic scale analysis carried out for determining the paleostress directions and deformation history of the area. Thus mesoscopic faults, joints and veins were measured and analyzed based on the field measurements and statistical methods. Then fitting structural models were presented for each of them. Furthermore, formation ages of the structures were considered based on relative time scaleAccording to the results, it can be concluded that two different deformation phases were effective in formation of the analyzed structures.

In this research, heterogeneous fault slip data are used as the main data for doing paleostress analysis in North-Tehran tectonic wedge, which is restricted between Mosha and North-Tehran faults. Using these data and paleostress methods, the studied area is divided into 15 smaller stable stress regions and the mean stress tensor related to each region is determined. Then, stress events are separated using Multiple Inverse Method. Based on mean stress tensors -obtained from stress regions- and rotation of fault data orientation -based on Anderson’s theory in compressional tectonic regimes-, the stress trajectory map is sketched for mean stress tensors acting in the regions during geological time. Configurations of trajectories show that they seem to obey the overall tectonic regime in Iran. This result refutes that the North-Tehran tectonic wedge could be a dynamic wedge.

One of The important subjects about Zagros mountain range is the lack of coordination between its drainages and geologic structure. This subject on Zayandehrood drainage system has become one of the most challenging discussions and three different theories have been proposd. To remove these disagreements and to achieve a general conclusion, this basin and two basins of Azna and Kakolestan at a distance of 62 and 85 km form its north east limit were studied exactly in library and in the field. With referer to different evidence obtained from the condition of river terraces, lake sediments and fossils, cirques and glacial sediments and active tectonic, it may be concluded that during Pliocene the Zagros drainages have been flowing toward Persian Gulf, but this drainages have been trapped because of the activity of Main Recent Fault at late this period or Early Pleistocene and formed some lakes. Later as the result of some processes that most of them have been of tectonic origin, the bed of these lakes were disintegrated and the water stream was flowed in Kakolestan and Azna’s basins at the previous direction and in Zayandehrood basin at the revers direction.

The evaluation of seismic potential along the Dehshir fault with 550-km length (accounting of northern and southern splays) is critical thanks to that more than 3.5 million people live in cities and towns located at vicinity of the fault. The Dehshir fault is considered as westernmost limit of N-striking dextral strike-slip faults set that slice Central and eastern Iran. Due to the lack of large recorded earthquakes (instrumental and historical) in Central Iran, access to seismic potential of active faults by studying the earthquake catalogs seems to be impossible. No instrumental earthquake has been recorded greater than mb 4.7 around the Dehshir fault and also historical data shows no evidence for occurrence of large earthquake around the fault. No sign of destruction in Marvast historical castle (at a distance of less than 10 km far from the Dehshir fault) built in Islamic period (~700-1250), shows any remarkable seismic activity until 750-1300 years ago. However, several evidence of geomorphologic markers such as drainages, gullies, streams and alluvial fans offsets, represent activity of the Dehshir fault in Late Quaternary. Geomorphic evidence at Marvast and Harabarjan sites record dextral - slip on the Dehshir fault during the Late Pleistocene-Holocene as major movement with minor dip - slip component. Rake of the fault movement has been considered for assessing to amount of horizontal and vertical slip rate on the Dehshir fault. This value in the North Marvast site has been calculated ~10 degrees and according to right-bank offset on the Marvast river is  ~7 degrees with horizontal and vertical displacements of 13 m and 1.5 m, respectively. Combining cumulative offset markers with OSL dating implies the Dehshir fault in Late Pleistocene-Holocene time period slips at horizontal and vertical components about 1±0.3 and 0.1 mm yr-1, respectively. We observed a minimum dextral offset along the Marvast segment in west of Harabarjan about 2 m that allows assuming the related magnitude and date of most recent large paleoearthquake on the Dehshir fault on the order of Mw 7 and 2000 years ago, respectively.

Mud volcanoes are natural and site-seeing phenomena in the world, particularly in the Alps and Himalayas belts. Mud volcanoes usually appear in form of a dome or a pool. The mud volcanoes comprise water, gas and mud. with plenty of applications, like tourism, mud therapy, supplying of essential body trace elements, and their usage as mud for pottery. In Iran most of the mud volcanoes appear in coastal plains of the Caspian and Oman Seas. A mud flow was formerly found between Minab and Jask in Hormozgan Province. These types of exclusive, beautiful and natural phenomena require more attention by tourism industry. On the other hand, mud flow must be introduced as the most important geotourism phenomenon of northern coast of the Oman Sea. In this research, after data collection, including topography and geology maps, AIRS satellite data and aerial photos, remote sensing verifications were implemented. Then, mud flow determination was completed by field work studies and checking. A sediment sample was taken from each mud flow in the field work, then analyses of major, accessory and trace elements were carried out by using ICP-OES. About 30 small and big mud volcanoes around of Gavak mountain and 6 mud volcanoes at Gatan and Tojak area were determined in Hormozgan province that they have not been introduced before. The biggest mud volcanoe (Aryana) has cone with 73m hight at Gatan area and the smallest one has cone with less than 1m at Gavak area. Meantime, hydrogeochemical studies or determination of the pall mud volcanoes were implemented. Since this geomorphological phenomenon indicates tectonic activity of a region, hence there is a possibility of mild earthquake and faulting occurrence. This issue must be considered in construction of buildings and certain fixed structures, such as bridges. Emitted gases through mud volcanoes relatively indicate the internal conditions of the Earth, particularly existence of oil and gas reservoirs. Mud flow is an index for availability of oil and gas reservoirs. They are used for prediction of availability of these reservoirs inside the Earth.

Seismic site characterization studies are carried out in earthquake- prone areas. In these studies seismic design parameters are chosen based on engineering geological and geotechnical characteristics of the site. Site classification is addressed in various building codes. Codes define various methods for soil classification such as measurement of average shear wave velocity up to 30 meters depth. This paper present a part of the seismic geotechnical microzonation study of Shiraz city based on seismic data for soil classification. This method, measures the travel times of multiple elastic waves along the interface of layers having different velocities. In this study a seismograph with an array of 24 geophones and 3.75m intervals was used. The shear wave velocity distribution estimated for 3 different seismic layers. Seismic bedrock was defined as layer for which shear wave velocity is more than 750 m/s. Depth of seismic bedrock was estimated to vary about 1 to 29”.The average shear wave velocity up to depth of 30 m ranges about 375 to 1253m/s. Based on the results soil profile in Shiraz were classified and compared with the Standard No. 2800 and Eurocode-08. The result indicated that Shiraz city can be placed in “site class I” and “site class B, E and A” respectively. The study revealed that Standard No. 2800 site classification should be modified.

We present the results of continuous GPS measurements to interpret present-day kinematic along and across northern Iran (i.e. the Alborz mountain range and northern part of Central Iranian Block (CIB)). In this study velocity field and geodetic strain rate of 30 CGPS stations from 2005 to 2009 were calculated in order to indicate active deformation of the region. The obtained velocity field suggests that western and central part of the Alborz mountains accommodate the convergence between Arabia and Eurasia mainly through shortening at a rate of ~6 mm/yr. and 2 mm/yr. left-lateral strike slip motion while the eastern Alborz accommodates the differential motion on either side of the range by left-lateral strike slip faults at ~5 mm/yr., as well as 2 mm/yr. shortening across the range. It can be deduced from the velocity vectors that main portion of the shortening (~70%) in the western and central Alborz is mainly taken up along the North Alborz and western Khazar faults. It is also evident from the site velocities that ~3 mm/yr. shortening is occurring in CIB, i.e. ~1.5 mm/yr. on northern side of CIB (along the Parchin-Pishva-Robatkarim faults) and ~1.5 mm/yr. along the Tafresh fault. These observations strongly suggest that CIB is not a rigid block. Principal axes of geodetic strain-rate tensor show that mainly compressional deformation occurs in western Alborz while transpressional deformation is dominant in eastern Alborz. Strain rate decreases in south and south-western parts of the belt, as approaches the CIB. We alsoobserve copmressional deformation in northern margin of CIB. Finally, we indicate that the present-day kinematics of the Alborz mountains is consistent with geological evidence and active tectonics of the region.

Determination of sedimentary environment, provenance and tectonic setting of Ab-Haji Formation sandstones (Lower Jurassic) have been carried out in Cheshmeh Bakhshi and Sartakht-e-Shotoran sections which are located in Kalmard Block. Facies analysis of sedimentary facies in mentioned sections implies three clastic faceis associations including delta plain, delta front and prodelta and two carbonate facies, relevant to bar. The obtained results from modal analysis and geochemical data point to cratonic tectonic setting and presence of qurtzose rocks in the source area in the course of recycling processes. Moereover, using the tectonic discrimination diagrams suggest that Ab-Haji sandstones have been deposited in a passive continental margin. The calculated chemical index of alteration (CIA) nd the plagioclase index of alteration (PIA), based on major element oxides, denote moderate to intense weathering in the hinterland. This consequence is conformed with the modal analysis and petrographic evidence referring to humid and semi-humid climate.

Estimation of noise present in Hyperspectral images is a way to enhance the quality of the extracted information and to reduce the uncertainties in the results. The simplest method widely used in noise estimation is Shift Difference. This method has two weaknesses; first, it is based upon the assumption that the adjacent pixels have the same signal information which is not necessarily valid in hyperspectral data sets; second, in order to calculate the correct values of noise it needs homogeneous regions that is usually being determined by supervision. In this study, a new method in noise estimation (NETAL) is introduced. In this method the satellite images are divided into homogeneous regions using spectral absorption parameters such as location of absorption lines, width and depth of these absorption features for every individual pixels. Then in each region the noise was calculated using regression between adjacent bands and finally the total noise was estimated through accumulation of the calculated noises in each region. The NETAL algorithm was evaluated by using simulated and real hyperspectral data sets. The results show that the noise estimation by NETAL method is faster than Multiple Regression method while the accuracy will remain the same as and even better than the Multiple Regression method.