Home / Vol. 26 (2026)

Geological, Geomorphological and Structural Mapping Updates of Jabal Al Uwaynat in Southeastern Libya, Using Remote Sensing Techniques

Eddawi A. Elhatmi

Petroleum Research Center, Tripoli, Libya

DOI: 10.68482/prj.2026.26.002 · Published Oct 2026 · Section: Exploration · Pages: 16–25

Abstract

Ten-color composite images were generated through the integration of three Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM) bands following dynamic image enhancement using the Histogram Equalization Contrast Stretching technique. These enhanced composites proved highly effective in facilitating the interpretation of terrain features within the Jabal Al Uwaynat region. The processed images provided additional geological and geomorphological information beyond that obtainable from the original Landsat ETM (7,4,2) dataset. A comparison between the ten-color composite images and existing geological maps of the area, including those produced by IRC (2007) at a scale of 1:250,000 and Hunting (1974) at a scale of 1:100,000, revealed a strong correspondence between the spectral variations observed in the imagery and the mapped geological and geomorphological features. In particular, the distribution of Quaternary landforms and ring-complex structures within Jabal Al Uwaynat closely matched the patterns identified on the enhanced Landsat ETM (7,4,2) images. The observed spectral and spatial variations are primarily associated with geomorphological characteristics such as differences in surface texture and patterns, spectral reflectance properties, lithological composition, moisture content, grain size, sediment thickness, and porosity of Quaternary deposits. Based on the interpretation of these enhanced images, updated geomorphological and geological maps were developed, leading to the identification of several previously unrecognized features that had not been represented in earlier mapping efforts. To further investigate the terrain characteristics of the study area, a band ratioing technique was applied using the reflective bands of the Landsat ETM imagery. A total of twelve band-ratio images were generated, each emphasizing specific terrain and geological attributes. Moreover, single-color composite images derived from combinations of three band ratios successfully highlighted subtle variations among different terrain units, thereby improving feature discrimination and interpretation. The study relied primarily on visual image analysis, and the results demonstrated that band ratioing is an effective remote sensing technique for identifying and differentiating terrain features within the Jabal Al Uwaynat region. The integration of enhanced color composites and band-ratio analyses significantly contributed to improving the accuracy of geomorphological and geological mapping and provided valuable insights into the region's surface characteristics.

Keywords

Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Imagery, Jabal Al Uwaynat, Remote Sensing Techniques, Band rationing technique

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