Factors Controlling the Development of Wine-Glass Forms in the Mountains of the Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Varoujan K. Sissakian; Arsalan A. Othman; Ahmed T. Shihab

doi:10.14500/aro.10415

Varoujan K. Sissakian Department of Natural Resources Engineering and Management, School of Science and Engineering, University of Kurdistan Hewler, Kurdistan Region http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9840-5422
Arsalan A. Othman Iraq Geological Survey, Sulaymaniyah Office, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4212-228X
Ahmed T. Shihab Iraq Geological Survey P.O. Box 986, Baghdad, Iraq http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5276-0130

Keywords: Wine-glass form, Erosional-cirque, Alluvial-fan, Cretaceous rocks, Kurdistan Region

Abstract

The northern and northeastern parts of Iraq are mountainous areas and rugged topography with different erosional and morphological forms; among them are the wine-glass (erosional cirques) forms. They are developed in different shapes, sizes, and depths. In the outlets of the wine-glass forms; usually, alluvial fans are formed. The studied area is characterized by the presence of long and narrow anticlines with NW–SE trend that changes westward to E–W trend. The Cretaceous carbonate rocks form the main carapace of the majority of the mountains; however, locally Paleogene and/or Jurassic rocks form the carapace. In the core, rocks down to Devonian are exposed. In those anticlines where only Cretaceous rocks are exposed, no or very rarely wine-glass forms are developed. This is attributed to the Cretaceous carbonate rocks, which exist in huge thicknesses in many formations, with thickly bedded to massive nature and very hard erosion resisting rocks. Tens of the existing wineglass forms are studied to indicate the factors that control their development, which are the type of exposed rocks, their thicknesses, and hardness. To perform the aim of this study, different satellite imagery with different resolutions was used; besides using GIS technique and field check to improve the acquired date.

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Author Biographies

Varoujan K. Sissakian, Department of Natural Resources Engineering and Management, School of Science and Engineering, University of Kurdistan Hewler, Kurdistan Region

Mr. Varoujan K. Sissakian graduated from University of Baghdad in 1969 with B.Sc. degree in Geology, and M.Sc. in Engineering Geological Mapping from I.T.C., the Netherlands in 1982. He joined Iraq Geological Survey (GEOSURV) in 1971 and was nominated as Expert in 2005; he was the Director of Geology Department since May 2004 until October 2012. He has 125 documented reports in GEOSURV's library and 105 published articles in different geological aspects in different geological journals. He was the Deputy Vice President of the Middle East Subcommission of the Committee of Compilation the Geological Map of the World (CGMW), Paris, from February 2010 until August 2012. Retired on 10 October 2012. His major fields of interest are geological mapping, stratigraphy of the Iraqi territory, site investigation, and geological hazards. He was Visiting Lecturer at the University of Kurdistan, Hewler, since October 2014 and Lecturer since February 2017.

Arsalan A. Othman, Iraq Geological Survey, Sulaymaniyah Office, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq

Dr. Arsalan Ahmed Othman graduated from University of Baghdad in 2000 with B.Sc. in Geology. In 2008, he received his M.Sc. Baghdad in Geology\ Remote Sensing from University of and his PhD in Geology and Remote Sensing from TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Germany in 2015. During 2014-2016, he hosted by Helmholtz-Institut Freiberg für Ressourcentechnologie (HIF), Germany. He currently works as a Chief Geologist in the Iraq Geological Survey (GEOSURV)\ Sulaymaniyah Office. He was the Head of Remote Sensing Sector since 2009 until October 2010. He has authored over 14 papers, and he is a reviewer in 5 international and 2 national journals. He has 8 documented reports in GEOSURV's Library. His research interests include remote sensing and GIS, geology, geomorphology, and environmental geology

Ahmed T. Shihab, Iraq Geological Survey P.O. Box 986, Baghdad, Iraq

Mr. Ahmed T. Shihab graduated from University of Baghdad in 1999 with B.Sc. degree in Geology, and M.Sc. in Structural Geology and Remote Sensing from the same university in 2015. He joined GEOSURV since October 7, 2001. He was the Head of GIS Division since May 2016 until June 2017. Currently, he is working as Head of Director General Office in Iraq Geological Survey (GEOSURV) as Chief Geologist. He has 12 documented reports in GEOSURV's library and 8 published articles dealing with Remote Sensing and GIS applications in geology.

The major fields of his interesting are Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographical Information System (GIS) application in geology, Structural Geology Analysis, and Regional geomorphologic survey.

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