Terrain analysis for active tectonic zone characterization: a new application for MODIS night LST (MYD11C3) data set

A new context for active tectonic zone recognition is proposed on the basis of the exporting energy of the terrain features at continental scale. Toward this end, elevation, latitude, and longitude decorrelation stretch of multi-temporal moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) monthly average land surface temperature (LST) imagery (MYD11C3) is applied in a study area extending from Red Sea to Indian Ocean and from Persian Gulf to Black Sea and Caspian Sea. Multiple linear regression analysis of principal components images (principal components analysis (PCAs)) quantified the variance explained by elevation, latitude, and longitude. Selective variance reduction reconstructed the multi-temporal LST imagery from the residual images and selected PCAs by taking into account the portion of variance that is not related to elevation, latitude, and longitude. The reconstructed imagery presents the magnitude the standardized LST value per pixel deviates from the elevation, latitude, and longitude predicted one, whereas a positive LST anomaly is defined as a region that presents positive reconstructed LST value throughout the year. Clustering of the reconstructed standardized imagery mapped a great positive LST anomaly of tectonic origin that occupies the greatest in elevation and most massive areas, forming three regions: (a) the Himalayan Belt along the Pakistan, Afghanistan borders, and the Eastern Alpine zone (Makhran Ranges and Zagros Ranges), (b) the coastal zone (along the Red Sea) of the Arabian Shield, and (c) the Oman Mountains Province along the Persian Gulf. The method will allow the classification of terrain objects (e.g. mountains, basins) on the basis of both the exporting energy (reconstructed LST) and geomorphometry.