Geologic interpretation of palmyrides Chains, Syria,
Using different Remote Sensing Techniques
Moutaz Dalati
Director of Scientific and International Affairs
General Organization of Remote Sensing (GORS)
Damascus - Syria
ISPRS/COMMISSION VII/WG4
KEY WORDS: Geology, Analysis, Interpretation, Landsat, SPOT, Remote Sensing,Knowledge-Base,
ABSTRACT
A preliminary Photo-geologic investigation of the Basement rocks and structures were
performed using different Remote Sensing techniques (Aerial photograghs, Landsat- TM , Spot
"xs" and Spot "panchromatic" for the Palmyrides Chains which located in the central part of
Syria. Structurally , the investigated area belongs to the so-called palmyrides block, which was
post-jurassically Subjected to a highly differentiated strain evolution. Synchronous records of
TM and Spot data of Palmyrides area are compared with each other and with geological field
data ; the structural faetures known from field investigation are also presented in both satellite
data direction roses. Digital image processing of TM andSpot data gives more information than
with B/W photographs, especially in areas with extensive soil cover. The image processing
utilised consists of linear stretching of individual TM channels and generation of color
composits .
Structures .
Background :
Palmyrides Range is a folded anomalous zone
developed with a rigid cratonic: the Arabian platform
Structurally positive , with a moderate mountanous
relief, (Fig. 1) . As it is evident from the tectonic scheme
given by ( Fig.2 ),the surveyed territory embraces two
major structural elements of the Northern slope of the
Arabian part of the African Platform. The Southern
half ofthe territory includes the stable part of the slpoe
of the platform with the shallow-seated pre-Cambrian
basement and low-dipping Mezo-Cenozoic platform
cover. The Northern half of the territory belongs to the
different depths of the basement and linear and block
folding in the platform cover. It occupies the zone of
the interaplatform trough with a strongly dislocated
Mezo-Cenozoic cover of the palmyrian folds( thier
central and Southern part) and the Eastern part of the
Ad-Daww basin .
To the boundary between these two major structural
features of the Northern slope of the Arabian part of the
African platform there is confined the big
superimposed Sabkhat Mouh basin of the Neogene.
Two structural stages are clearly distinguished on the
surveyed territory owing to the nature of
dislocations,the recorded angular unconformities,and
178
TM and Spot imagery have proved useful for detailed interpretation of geological
the mutuality of the geological history. The lower
structural stage embraces Jurassic, Cretaceous and
Paleogene deposits. The upper one icludes Neogene-
Quaternary deposits. The characteristic of the lower
structural stage are marine sedimentation conditions
and epeirogenic oscillating movements. In contrast to
that, the upper structural stage is characterized by
continental sedimentation conditions and orogenic
movements. The magnetic map( Fig.3) distinctly shows
two well-defined zones, distinguished by different
nature of the magnetic field intensity. In the Northern
part of the territory,the anomalies of the magnetic field
are confined to the folded zone of the Palmyrian ridges.
This field is characterized by a sharp increase and
intense variation of its vertical component (AT) over
short distances, as well as by isometric patterns of the
anomallies whose trend coincides with the general
strike of the structures of the Palmyrian ridges. Well-
defined positive anomalies of the vertical component of
the magnetic field are confined to the zones of the big
synclinal folds. Thus, in the case of the synclinal
structure of Ad-Daww this component gradually
increases on the surveyed territory from the side of the
structure towards its central part from 3,000 to 3,200
gammas. A similar rise of 150 and even 200 gammas
International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B7. Vienna 1996
