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

这是一个美国-巴基斯坦研究项目：西北喜马拉雅山的新构造研究。外国合作者是巴基斯坦萨尔戈达萨戈达大学的哈立德·马哈茂德博士。他们计划对印度-亚洲碰撞前沿的新构造进行详细研究，地点位于巴基斯坦西北部的盐岭。他们将把使用新的尖端产品的遥感研究与使用地球物理和地面激光雷达的地面研究结合起来。盐岩山脉的前锋区相对较少被研究(与更令人兴奋的更高的喜马拉雅山脉相比)，但它代表了最活跃的形变带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应该可以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职员工团队合作。智力优势：总体目标是使用GPS、遥感和探地雷达详细调查巴基斯坦喜马拉雅活动逆冲系统内和周围的区域。通过将新发现与已发表的资料相结合，本研究旨在了解喜马拉雅前缘冲断系统的形成机制和解释其演化的模式。这项研究将了解喜马拉雅逆冲前缘现今的构造活动，并将评估前锋系统趋势突变的原因。这项工作还将通过寻找哈拉帕大地震的迹象来探索早期人类文明的重大奥秘之一。哈拉帕是世界上四大古代文明之一的大城市的考古遗址？S。广泛的影响：研究区域靠近六个特大城市，居住着世界上大部分人口。该地区与碰撞有关的地震活动已造成该地区数十万人死亡和灾难性的经济损失。喜马拉雅活动逆冲前缘的新构造研究将有助于地震预报和减灾。此外，我们的工作将进一步促进美巴在科学领域的合作，这对该地区的国家利益至关重要。这项工作将支持至少一名美国研究生和一名美国本科生参与这项研究，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.