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Publications in Scientific Journals:

A. Zámolyi, B. Székely, E. Draganits, G. Timár:
"Neotectonic control on river sinuosity at the western margin of the Little Hungarian Plain";
Geomorphology, 122 (2010), 3-4; 231 - 243.



English abstract:
This study investigates the influence of neotectonic activity on river
channel patterns in low-relief areas. Our study area, the westernmost part
of the Little Hungarian Plain, belongs to the Danube catchment in the
transition zone between the Eastern Alps and Western Carpathians. This
area evolved within the Pannonian back-arc basin during the Neogene and
was also affected by the major lateral tectonic extrusion of the Eastern
Alps.
Water course analysis has been carried out on the Leitha, Répce, Rábca,
Ikva and Wulka rivers, to detect a possible relationship between their
river courses and any on-going tectonic activity that is otherwise
difficult to detect in this poorly exposed low-relief area. In order to
derive channel geometries hardly modified by human activity (i.e. prior to
the major river control works of the last 150 years), calculations of
river channel properties were based on georeferenced historical map sheets
of the Second Military Survey of the Habsburg Empire. These recorded the
channel patterns and geomorphologic situation around 1840.
Classic sinuosity values from the reconstructed river courses have been
derived using several window sizes. The calculated values show
surprisingly strong local variations, considering the low-relief and
lithological homogeneity of the area. The spatial distribution of the
pronounced sinuosity variations coincides with the location of Late
Miocene faults well-known from seismic data. On-going active tectonic
activity along these faults is further indicated by the local earthquake
record and geomorphic parameters derived from high-resolution digital
elevation models. In conclusion, river sinuosity calculations represent a
sensitive tool for recognizing neotectonic activity in low-relief areas.


"Official" electronic version of the publication (accessed through its Digital Object Identifier - DOI)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2009.06.028


Created from the Publication Database of the Vienna University of Technology.