Role of Fracturing in the Organization of the Karst Features of Azrou Plateau (Middle Atlas, Morroco) Studied by Remote Sensing Imagery

Geomorphological Classification and Landforms Inventory of the Middle-Atlas Volcanic Province (Morocco): Scientific Value and Educational Potential

“…Around this area, Strombolian cones show a slightly higher elevation, but phreatomagmatic centres are generally located in a lower eastward area, which can be much closer to the shallow water table. The widespread karstic-carbonate rock layers combined to heavy precipitations as rain and as snow, make of the tabular Middle-Atlas an abundant groundwater sources (Amraoui 2004, Martin 1981, Miche et al 2018, regarded as a great water tower and hydrological regulator in Morocco (Bentayeb, Leclerc 1977, Peyron 1980, Menjour et al 2017. Generally, the Strombolian dynamic activity is dominant consisting of 66% of volcanic events.…”

“…Mixed eruptive volcanoes, which represent 8%, are induced from a fluctuating water-magma ratio during the eruption, which could be the result of sudden precipitation leading to superficial water flowing, and/or rise of the water table level. The morphological classification proposed has been carried out attending not only to exclusive factors appearing in the MAVP (Martin 1974, 1981, Menjour et al 2017), but to general factors controlling volcanic processes that are also present in other volcanic regions (Kilburn 2000, Walker, Sigurdsson 2000, Kereszturi, Németh 2012, Dóniz-Páez 2015, Harris, Rowland 2015.…”

“…This may be favoured the opening of stress slots during the reactivation of late-Hercynian accidents as response to the maximum sub-meridian stress (Fedan, Thomas 1986), which could explain the orientation of the main volcanic trail that crosses perpendicularly major faults. Even, continuous tectonic movement along these faults could participate mechanically to develop karstification (Martin 1974, 1981, Menjour et al 2017.…”

“…Most of the MAVP area is characterized by a highly fractured and strongly karstified limestone substrate forming a great aquifer. In addition, high snowy and rainy precipitation estimated to be about 730 mm per year as (Bentayeb, Leclerc 1977), and the advanced basement karstification state make of the Middle-Atlas an efficient water receptacle that represents the main water reservoir of Morocco (Lepoutre et al 1966, Bentayeb, Leclerc 1977, Peyron 1980, Malaki 2006, Menjour et al 2017, from which extend the major hydrographic systems toward the Atlantic and the Mediterranean coastline.…”

Study of Monogenic Volcanism in a Karstic System: Case of the Maar of Lechmine n’Aït el Haj (Middle Atlas, Morocco)

“…A hundred of cones and maars have been listed and mapped over an area of almost 1000 km 2 [5,6]. The distribution of volcanoes is controlled by the tectonic context of the region [7,8]. The petrological study of eruptive vents allowed distinguishing four lava types dominated by under-saturated alkali basaltic flows (68.5%).…”