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<p>The junction between the Middle and High Atlas in Morocco represents a key zone of structural complexity shaped by multiple tectonic events. In this study, lineaments were manually extracted from Landsat 8 OLI imagery, a Digital Elevation Model (DEM), and horizontal gravity gradient data, revealing a heterogeneous distribution of more than 1200 linear features ranging from 2 to 100&#xa0;km. Dominant orientations correspond to NE–SW, E–W, and NW–SE trends, reflecting the polyphase tectonic evolution of the Atlas domain and the superposition of Hercynian and Alpine deformation phases. Lineament density varies spatially with lithological and tectonic heterogeneity, with higher concentrations in the High Atlas and the Middle Atlas, and lower densities in the Tadla Basin, the High Moulouya Plain, and areas covered by thick Cenozoic sediments. The NE–SW lineaments correspond to inherited Hercynian shear zones that were reactivated during Mesozoic rifting and Cenozoic compression, thereby forming the region’s main structural architecture. E–W-trending structures act as transverse zones connecting major faults and accommodating differential displacements, while NW–SE and N–S features identified in gravimetric data reflect deep-seated basement structures and intrusive bodies that influence deformation localization. Finally, the rigid granitic bodies beneath Beni Mellal, Aguelmous, and Zaida further affect local tectonics by concentrating stress and creating tectonic blockages. These structures control uplift, fault propagation, and the overall morphotectonic development of the Middle and High Atlas. This study demonstrates the value of combining remote sensing and gravimetric methods to understand structural inheritance, crustal architecture, and tectonic evolution in complex intracontinental orogenic belts.</p>

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Structural architecture of the middle Atlas/High Atlas junction, Morocco: contributions from remote sensing and gravimetry

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月3日

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  • Youssef Ouahzizi,
  • Driss El Azzab,
  • Mohammed Laiche,
  • Abdelkhiar Ait Ali,
  • Mohammed Charroud

摘要

The junction between the Middle and High Atlas in Morocco represents a key zone of structural complexity shaped by multiple tectonic events. In this study, lineaments were manually extracted from Landsat 8 OLI imagery, a Digital Elevation Model (DEM), and horizontal gravity gradient data, revealing a heterogeneous distribution of more than 1200 linear features ranging from 2 to 100 km. Dominant orientations correspond to NE–SW, E–W, and NW–SE trends, reflecting the polyphase tectonic evolution of the Atlas domain and the superposition of Hercynian and Alpine deformation phases. Lineament density varies spatially with lithological and tectonic heterogeneity, with higher concentrations in the High Atlas and the Middle Atlas, and lower densities in the Tadla Basin, the High Moulouya Plain, and areas covered by thick Cenozoic sediments. The NE–SW lineaments correspond to inherited Hercynian shear zones that were reactivated during Mesozoic rifting and Cenozoic compression, thereby forming the region’s main structural architecture. E–W-trending structures act as transverse zones connecting major faults and accommodating differential displacements, while NW–SE and N–S features identified in gravimetric data reflect deep-seated basement structures and intrusive bodies that influence deformation localization. Finally, the rigid granitic bodies beneath Beni Mellal, Aguelmous, and Zaida further affect local tectonics by concentrating stress and creating tectonic blockages. These structures control uplift, fault propagation, and the overall morphotectonic development of the Middle and High Atlas. This study demonstrates the value of combining remote sensing and gravimetric methods to understand structural inheritance, crustal architecture, and tectonic evolution in complex intracontinental orogenic belts.