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

Abdelmounji Amine
Abdelmounji Amine
, 
Iz-Eddine El Amrani El Hassani
Iz-Eddine El Amrani El Hassani
, 
Toufik Remmal
Toufik Remmal
, 
Fouad El Kamel
Fouad El Kamel
, 
Benjamin Van Wyk De Vries
Benjamin Van Wyk De Vries
 oraz 
Pierre Boivin
Pierre Boivin
   | 29 mar 2019
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Data publikacji: 29 mar 2019
Zakres stron: 107 - 129
Otrzymano: 30 cze 2018
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/quageo-2019-0010
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© 2019 Abdelmounji Amine et al., published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Fig. 1

Study area. a)Geographical location and geological map of the study area. Most of volcanoes and lava flow units erupted from the Azrou-Timahdite plateau. These volcanoes strung along into two trails: the main cones dominated central trail and smaller eastern maars dominated trail that concentrates on the Azrou-Timahdite plateau. Major faults abbreviation: TTF: Tizi-n-Tretten Fault; NMAF: North Middle-Atlas Fault; JSAF: Jbel Sidi Ali Fault; SMAF: South Middle-Atlas Fault. MAVP: Middle-Atlas volcanic province.b)Coloured digital elevation model of the Middle-Atlas, showing the topographic framework of the study area. Heights are in metres above sea level.
Study area. a)Geographical location and geological map of the study area. Most of volcanoes and lava flow units erupted from the Azrou-Timahdite plateau. These volcanoes strung along into two trails: the main cones dominated central trail and smaller eastern maars dominated trail that concentrates on the Azrou-Timahdite plateau. Major faults abbreviation: TTF: Tizi-n-Tretten Fault; NMAF: North Middle-Atlas Fault; JSAF: Jbel Sidi Ali Fault; SMAF: South Middle-Atlas Fault. MAVP: Middle-Atlas volcanic province.b)Coloured digital elevation model of the Middle-Atlas, showing the topographic framework of the study area. Heights are in metres above sea level.

Fig. 2

Map of the main volcanic features on both tabular and folded domain of the central Middle-Atlas domain.Volcanic device abbreviations: AK – Ain Kahla, Ba – Bou Ahsine, Bj – Boutjatiout, BL – Boulbalrhatène, BT – Boutaguarouine, Ch – Chedifate, Ha – Habri, He – Hebri, Io – Ich Ouarrok, LB – LechmineBou Itguel, LBS – Lechmine Ben Said, LCA – Lechmine Chker Allah, LI – Lechmine Izgarn, LK – Lechmine-n-Kettane maar, NHL – Lechmine-Naït-Lhaj maar, LO – Lechmine Ouannou, LR – Lechmine N Rhelline, LT – Lechmine Tajine, M – Michlifène, Mj – Mijmouane, Ms – Msaarab south, RA – Rabouba, S – Selrhert, SA – Sidi Ali, SD – Sidi Boundouh, SS – Sidi Said, T – Taissaouit, Ta – Tahabrit, Tam – Tamarakoit, Ti – Tichinouine, Tim – Timahdite, TT – Tichout Tazouggaght, TTO – Touna-Tit Ougmar, W-He – West Hebri.Fault name abbreviations: TTF – Tizi-n-Tretten Fault, JBF – Jbel Irhoud-Boulbalrhatene Fault, TF – Timahdite, NMAF – North Middle-Atlas Fault, JSAF – Jbel Sidi Ali Fault.
Map of the main volcanic features on both tabular and folded domain of the central Middle-Atlas domain.Volcanic device abbreviations: AK – Ain Kahla, Ba – Bou Ahsine, Bj – Boutjatiout, BL – Boulbalrhatène, BT – Boutaguarouine, Ch – Chedifate, Ha – Habri, He – Hebri, Io – Ich Ouarrok, LB – LechmineBou Itguel, LBS – Lechmine Ben Said, LCA – Lechmine Chker Allah, LI – Lechmine Izgarn, LK – Lechmine-n-Kettane maar, NHL – Lechmine-Naït-Lhaj maar, LO – Lechmine Ouannou, LR – Lechmine N Rhelline, LT – Lechmine Tajine, M – Michlifène, Mj – Mijmouane, Ms – Msaarab south, RA – Rabouba, S – Selrhert, SA – Sidi Ali, SD – Sidi Boundouh, SS – Sidi Said, T – Taissaouit, Ta – Tahabrit, Tam – Tamarakoit, Ti – Tichinouine, Tim – Timahdite, TT – Tichout Tazouggaght, TTO – Touna-Tit Ougmar, W-He – West Hebri.Fault name abbreviations: TTF – Tizi-n-Tretten Fault, JBF – Jbel Irhoud-Boulbalrhatene Fault, TF – Timahdite, NMAF – North Middle-Atlas Fault, JSAF – Jbel Sidi Ali Fault.

Fig. 3

Main eruptive landforms and structures of lava flow units. a)The smooth degassed surface of fluid pahoehoe lava near the Taïssaouite volcano.b)The rough scoriaceous aa surface of viscous lava tongue emitted from the base of the Taissousit volcano.c)Columnar jointed structure outcrops beside Oued Guigou on the south-eastern side of the Timahdite volcano.d)Fluid uprising lava intrusion emerging from an opened crack at the Aguelmam Sidi Ali volcano edge.e)Tumulus structure west of the Aguelmam Sidi Ali volcano.f)Blister-Cave that formed below the advancing Aghbalou Abarchan lava unit, which has about 5 m in width and 2 m in height.g)Photo of an advancing pahoehoe lava toes that cascade over karstic slopes simultaneously with a sudden collapsing near the north-western Taissout volcano; there are superb folded and wrinkled lava screes covering the karstic floor.h)Photo of a steady karstic collapsing at the eastern edge to Aguelmame Sidi Ali Lake; the inward tilting of the columnar basalt on the inner slope result from a long but continuous carbonate dissolution subsidence.
Main eruptive landforms and structures of lava flow units. a)The smooth degassed surface of fluid pahoehoe lava near the Taïssaouite volcano.b)The rough scoriaceous aa surface of viscous lava tongue emitted from the base of the Taissousit volcano.c)Columnar jointed structure outcrops beside Oued Guigou on the south-eastern side of the Timahdite volcano.d)Fluid uprising lava intrusion emerging from an opened crack at the Aguelmam Sidi Ali volcano edge.e)Tumulus structure west of the Aguelmam Sidi Ali volcano.f)Blister-Cave that formed below the advancing Aghbalou Abarchan lava unit, which has about 5 m in width and 2 m in height.g)Photo of an advancing pahoehoe lava toes that cascade over karstic slopes simultaneously with a sudden collapsing near the north-western Taissout volcano; there are superb folded and wrinkled lava screes covering the karstic floor.h)Photo of a steady karstic collapsing at the eastern edge to Aguelmame Sidi Ali Lake; the inward tilting of the columnar basalt on the inner slope result from a long but continuous carbonate dissolution subsidence.

Fig. 4

Morphology, shape, and crater outlines of cones sketched on Google satellite images jointed to the digital elevation overview and the cross-section sketch. DEM – Digital Elevation Model; NR21 – national roadway no. 21. a)Tizzout Tazouggart craterless cone.b)Jbel Hebri cone with a bowl-shaped crater; the famous ski station occurs at the northern steep slope. AC: Accommodation centre.c)Jbel Habri elongated horseshoe-shaped cone with an opened crater toward the national road.d)The multiple cones of Boutagrouine are formed of eight volcanic devices arranged along NW-SE and NE-SW oriented lineaments; the Karst occurring in the northern slope may be stuck easily into the local pseudo quadratic tectonic network system.
Morphology, shape, and crater outlines of cones sketched on Google satellite images jointed to the digital elevation overview and the cross-section sketch. DEM – Digital Elevation Model; NR21 – national roadway no. 21. a)Tizzout Tazouggart craterless cone.b)Jbel Hebri cone with a bowl-shaped crater; the famous ski station occurs at the northern steep slope. AC: Accommodation centre.c)Jbel Habri elongated horseshoe-shaped cone with an opened crater toward the national road.d)The multiple cones of Boutagrouine are formed of eight volcanic devices arranged along NW-SE and NE-SW oriented lineaments; the Karst occurring in the northern slope may be stuck easily into the local pseudo quadratic tectonic network system.

Fig. 5

Eruptive deposits from Strombolian cones. a)Spindle-bomb occurring on the northern flank of Jbel Habri.b)Bread-crust bomb occurring at the Strombolian base of west Hebri volcano.c)Proximal reddish and coarse facies outcrops from the north-eastern quarry of the Timahdite volcano; the centre of the photo uncovers a large cowpat-bomb, developing an oxidation aureole over surrounding deposits.d)Distal facies outcrops at the quarry on the eastern flank of Boutagrouine volcanic complex; interstratified ash levels attested the coexistence of both Strombolian and phreatomagmatic dynamics during the eruption.
Eruptive deposits from Strombolian cones. a)Spindle-bomb occurring on the northern flank of Jbel Habri.b)Bread-crust bomb occurring at the Strombolian base of west Hebri volcano.c)Proximal reddish and coarse facies outcrops from the north-eastern quarry of the Timahdite volcano; the centre of the photo uncovers a large cowpat-bomb, developing an oxidation aureole over surrounding deposits.d)Distal facies outcrops at the quarry on the eastern flank of Boutagrouine volcanic complex; interstratified ash levels attested the coexistence of both Strombolian and phreatomagmatic dynamics during the eruption.

Fig. 6

Morphology, shape, and crater outlines of maars surrounded by tuff-rings sketched on Google satellite images jointed to the digital elevation overview and the cross-section sketch. DEM – Digital Elevation Model; NR21 – national roadway no. 21. a)Deep maar of Lechmine N’ait l Haj.b)The elongated shallow maar of Cheker Allah.c)The Touna (eastern maar) – Tit Ougmar (central and western maar) complex. Many karstic cavities occur west of this volcanic complex and overlay some local tectonic lineament.
Morphology, shape, and crater outlines of maars surrounded by tuff-rings sketched on Google satellite images jointed to the digital elevation overview and the cross-section sketch. DEM – Digital Elevation Model; NR21 – national roadway no. 21. a)Deep maar of Lechmine N’ait l Haj.b)The elongated shallow maar of Cheker Allah.c)The Touna (eastern maar) – Tit Ougmar (central and western maar) complex. Many karstic cavities occur west of this volcanic complex and overlay some local tectonic lineament.

Fig. 7

Phreatomagmatic eruptive products a)Southern base-surge outcrop from the Timahdite volcano showing a small-scale dune and anti-dune sedimentary figures including some lapilli lenses.b)Thick peperite layers from the phreatomagmatic deposits exposed in the Lechmine-Naït-Lhaj maar northern flank; they consist of alternating thick ash-dominated levels with coarser lapilli falls.c)Stone suns structures exposed in phreatomagmatic deposits at the north-western base of the Timahdite volcano.d)Bomb-sag structure distorting the phreatomagmatic deposit bedding at the north-eastern side of the Timahdite volcano.e)Cauliflower bomb of 1,5 m diameter occurs in the northern part of west Hebri Maar.f)Finely-bedded lapilli fall is representing the distal wind-driven facies at the base slope of the eastern flank of Lechmine N’ait Lhaj maar.
Phreatomagmatic eruptive products a)Southern base-surge outcrop from the Timahdite volcano showing a small-scale dune and anti-dune sedimentary figures including some lapilli lenses.b)Thick peperite layers from the phreatomagmatic deposits exposed in the Lechmine-Naït-Lhaj maar northern flank; they consist of alternating thick ash-dominated levels with coarser lapilli falls.c)Stone suns structures exposed in phreatomagmatic deposits at the north-western base of the Timahdite volcano.d)Bomb-sag structure distorting the phreatomagmatic deposit bedding at the north-eastern side of the Timahdite volcano.e)Cauliflower bomb of 1,5 m diameter occurs in the northern part of west Hebri Maar.f)Finely-bedded lapilli fall is representing the distal wind-driven facies at the base slope of the eastern flank of Lechmine N’ait Lhaj maar.

Fig. 8

Morphology, shape, and crater outline of cone-maar mixes sketched on Google satellite images jointed to the digital elevation model overview the cross-section sketch. DEM – Digital Elevation Model; NR21 – national roadway no. 21. a)The cone-maar mixe west of Jbel Hebri; the initial cone cut in its south-western part by a late maar collapsing.b)The elongated Izgarn mixed volcano; the initial maar is covered in the north-western part by a scoria cone, which emitted a large lava flow.c)The Tahabrit volcanic complex; two cones followed the initial maar setting during the first eruptive phase; the second stage consists of the growth of the highest cone with a northward opened crater during a huge lava flow emission.
Morphology, shape, and crater outline of cone-maar mixes sketched on Google satellite images jointed to the digital elevation model overview the cross-section sketch. DEM – Digital Elevation Model; NR21 – national roadway no. 21. a)The cone-maar mixe west of Jbel Hebri; the initial cone cut in its south-western part by a late maar collapsing.b)The elongated Izgarn mixed volcano; the initial maar is covered in the north-western part by a scoria cone, which emitted a large lava flow.c)The Tahabrit volcanic complex; two cones followed the initial maar setting during the first eruptive phase; the second stage consists of the growth of the highest cone with a northward opened crater during a huge lava flow emission.

Fig. 9

Flow chart of used methodology.
Flow chart of used methodology.

Fig. 10

Morphological classification of cones (a) and maars (b).
Morphological classification of cones (a) and maars (b).

Classification table of cones according to their eruptive landform, height, width, elongation index, and the geographic location.

NameEruptive landformHeight (m)Width (m)Elongation indexLocation (WGS)
Tabouritcraterless2001100–20001.8133.181090, −5.251647
Bekrite1201400–15001.0733.064061, −5.241821
Outgui1201000–12001.2033.644252, −5.246676
Si Mghid100450–5501.2233.196662, −5.260765
El koudiat901100–12001.0933.531257, −5.156566
Ariana80700–10001.4233.519565, −5.242534
Ain Kahla78400–5001.2533.229431, −5.218468
Rabouba72450–5001.1133.240984, −5.132338
Tichout Tazoug70650–7001.0733.347645, −5.161858
Tamarakoit65350–4001.1433.061960, −5.066542
Sidi Said63450–8001.7733.262311, −5.053953
Tamahrart60600–7001.1633.512481, −5.252448
Lougnina601000–11001.1033.011541, −4.832307
Talsast60600–7001.1633.229551, −5.276386
Mijmouane33450–6001.3333.387091, −5.167786
Jbel Hebriring-shaped2201200–13001.0833.313252, −5.136189
Am Larays2001000–14001.4033.034140, −4.890189
Chédifate1672000–25001.2533.313252, −5.136189
Sidi Ali75650–7001.0733.313252, −5.136189
Jbel Habrihorseshoe-shaped1001200–13001.0833.385425, −5.154080
Ouaouseenfacht1001200–16001.3333.596260, −4.686587
Selrhert70–90450–7501.6633.178465, −4.995152
Ich Ouarrok851000–13001.3033.404557, −5.150691
Bouahcine65750–8001.0633.322261, −5.095985
Boutjatiout62700–8001.1433.309686, −5.091728
Sidi Boundouh60900–10001.1133.239289, −5.075849
Taissaouit57750–8001.0633.318892, −5.110387
Tichinouine45450–10002.2233.309686, −5.091728
Boutaguarouinenested (8)1552500–4000–33.284479, −5.093798

Classification table of maars associated to tuff-rings according to their eruptive landform, depth, crater’s width, elongation index, and the geographic location.

NameEruptive landformDepth (m)Crater width (m)Elongation indexLocation (WGS)
Michlifènedeep maar/tuff-ring1208001.0033.413500, −5.079369
Lechmine N Ait Lhaj1108501.0033.382723, −5.070212
Lechmine N Kettan070–1001000–11001.1033.378136, −5.125830
Lechmine Bou Itguel9013001.0033.202695, −5.117515
Lechmine N Rhellineshallow maar/tuff-ring406501.0033.315974, −5.024742
Tafraout300800–10001.2533.522731, −4.691432
Lechmine Tajine300800–11001.3533.327478, −5.019378
Lechmine Chker Allah30700–8001.1433.205212, −5.102474
Tuna – Tit Ougmarmaars complex35–40500–900–33.322102, −5.136088
Boulbalrathene20–500500–1200–33.343615, −5.063990

Classification table of eruptive mixes according to their eruptive landforms, elevation’s difference, width, and the geographic location.

NameEruptive landformsElevation differenceWidth (m)Location (WGS)
West Hebricone → maar/tuff-ring6580033.357214, −5.151767
Msaarab Sudmaar/tuff-ring → cone7550033.234592, −5.037232
Lechmine Izgarn200400–250033.264304, −5.105774
Timahdite100800–110033.230974, −5.066730
Tahabritmaar/tuff-ring → nested cones (3)180260033.347028, −5.127267
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