A MORPHOTECTONIC MAP OF THE NORTHERN ARAVA IN ISRAEL, DERIVED FROM ISOBASE LINES

In areas characterized by flat and weakly incised relief built of youn g and lithologically uniform sediments, structural and tectonic maps a re often non-existent or of no great avail. Under such conditions, the regional morphotectonic analysis of the study area may be a most usef ul tool to produce the required basic hydrogeological information. It consists basically of two consecutive steps, i.e., definition of strea m orders and the preparation of isobase maps. In the research of Quate rnary geology isobase surface analysis is regarded as a means for iden tifying young tectonic processes. The morphotectonic map is the final derivative of isobase maps. It portrays the basic lineaments or disloc ation lines derived by analysing deviations in the directions of isoba se lines, of their spreading or compression and of deviations between axes of valleys. The morphotectonic map presented in this paper portra ys several major morphostructural units within the Arava graben, in th e area between the Dead Sea and Nahal Paran.