Behavior of Abu-Jir Fault Zone in Al-Thirthar Valley and near Habbaniya Lake Areas – Comparative Study Using Seismic Reflection Sections

Abstract

A comparative study of behavior of Abu-Jir fault zone in Al-Thirthar Valley and near Al-Habbaniya Lake areas has been carried out using seismic reflection sections. Interpretation of the seismic sections showed some similarities and differences in behavior of Abu-Jir Fault Zones in both areas. The seismic sections exhibit simple flower structure in the fault zone of both Al-Thirthar Valley and near Habbaniya Lake but the flower structure in later is simpler than the former. The fault zone in Al-Thirthar Valley behaves as blind fault, whereas it reaches to the Earth's surface near Habbaniya Lake. Abu-Jir Fault Zone near Habbaniya Lake is wider than that in Thirthar Valley area. Syn-rifting due to faulting and slightly thickening has begun within both areas; occur between Alan and Hartha reflectors in Thirthar area and between Alan and Dammam reflectors near Habbaniya Lake. Abu-Jir Fault Zone near Habbaniya Lake suffered to strike slip movement less than that in Thirthar Valley because it is far from the collision suture zone between Arabian plate and Turkish and Iranian plates.