US-PAKISTAN Cooperative Research : NEOTECTONIC Studies of the Northwestern Himalayas

1049512汗这是一个美国和巴基斯坦的研究项目：喜马拉雅山西北部的新构造研究。 外国合作者是巴基斯坦萨戈达萨戈达大学的Khalid Mahmood博士。 他们计划在巴基斯坦西北部的盐岭地区对印度-亚洲碰撞的前沿进行详细的新构造研究。它们将把利用新的尖端产品进行的联合收割机遥感研究与利用地球物理学和地面激光雷达进行的实地研究结合起来。盐岭的前缘地带相对来说没有被研究过（与更“令人兴奋”的喜马拉雅山相比），但它代表了最活跃的变形区和高震级地震的来源。通过非常详细地研究小区域，并将遥感数据与详细的实地研究相关联，PI应该有可能将其结果外推到其详细研究区域之外的区域。 拟议的工作将支持休斯顿大学的两名本科生和两名研究生的研究和教育活动，他们将与巴基斯坦三所大学的学生和教师团队合作。智力优势：总体目标是利用全球定位系统、遥感和探地雷达详细调查巴基斯坦境内喜马拉雅山活动冲断系统及其周围地区。通过将新发现与已发表的数据相结合，本研究旨在了解喜马拉雅锋面逆冲系统的形成机制和解释其演化的模型。本研究将评估喜马拉雅冲断前缘沿着带的现今构造活动，并将评估锋面系统趋势突变的原因。这项工作还将调查早期人类文明的重大奥秘之一，通过寻找哈拉帕大地震的迹象，哈拉帕是世界上一个主要城市的考古遗址。更广泛的影响：研究区域靠近六个特大城市，拥有世界人口的主要部分。该地区与碰撞有关的地震活动已造成数十万人死亡和灾难性的经济损失。研究喜马拉雅活动逆冲断层前缘的新构造特征，有助于地震预报和防震减灾工作。此外，我们的工作将促进美国和巴基斯坦在科学方面的合作，这对该地区的国家利益至关重要。这项工作将为至少一名美国研究生和一名美国本科生参与这项研究提供支持，并将为美国和巴基斯坦学生的高级培训和教育以及广泛的科学和文化交流提供机会。

1049512Khan This is a US-Pakistan Research project: Neotectonic studies of the Northwestern Himalayas. The foreign collaborator is Dr. Khalid Mahmood, University of Sargodha, Sargohda, Pakistan. They plan a detailed study of neo-tectonics at the leading edge of the India-Asia collision, in the Salt Ranges of NW Pakistan. They will combine remote sensing studies using new cutting edge products with on-the-ground studies using geophysics and ground-based lidar. The frontal zone of the Salt Ranges is relatively unstudied (compared to the more 'exciting' higher Himalayas) yet it represents the most active zone of deformation and a source of high magnitude earthquakes. By studying small areas in great detail and correlating remote sensing data with detailed field studies, it should be possible for the PI's to extrapolate their results to regions outside of their detailed study zones. The proposed work will support research and educational activities of two undergraduate and two graduate students from the University of Houston who will work in collaboration with the team of students and faculty from three universities in Pakistan. Intellectual Merit: The overall objective is to investigate in detail the area in and around the active thrust system of Himalayas in Pakistan using GPS, remote sensing, and Ground Penetrating Radar. By integrating the new findings with published data, this study intends to understand the formation mechanism and models explaining its evolution of the Himalayan Frontal Thrust System. This study will access the current tectonic activities along the Himalayan Thrust Front and will evaluate the causes of abrupt change in the trend of frontal system. This work will also investigate one of the grand mysteries of early human civilization by looking for signs of major earthquakes in Harappa, an archaeological site of a major city in one of the world?s four greatest ancient civilizations.Broader Impacts: The study area is located close to six megacities and hosts major portions of the world's population. Collision-related seismicity across this region has caused hundreds of thousands of deaths and catastrophic economic losses in this area. The neotectonic studies on active Himalayan Thrust Front will help earthquake prediction and mitigation. Additionally, our work will further US-Pakistan cooperation in science, critical to the national interest in this region. This work will provide for support for at least one US graduate student and one US undergraduate student participating in this research, and will afford opportunities for advanced training and education of US and Pakistani students, and wide-ranging scientific and cultural exchanges.