Geologic Map of Quadrangles 3460 and 3360, Kol-I-Namaksar
(407), Ghuryan (408), Kawir-I-Naizar (413), and Kohe-Mahmudo-Esmailjan
(414) Quadrangles, Afghanistan
Compiled by Van S. Williams
Prepared in cooperation with the Afghan Geological Survey
and the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office under the auspices
of the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Trade and
Development Agency
This map was produced from several larger digital
datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter
digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on
1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978–1997). Contours were generated by
cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips1 surface-modeling
capabilities. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management
Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived
from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Geologic
data and the international boundary of Afghanistan were taken directly from Abdullah and
Chmyriov (1977).
It is the primary intent of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to present the
geologic data in a useful format while making them publicly available. These data
represent the state of geologic mapping in Afghanistan as of 2005, although the
original map was released in the late 1970s (Abdullah and Chmyriov, 1977). The USGS has
made no attempt to modify original geologic map-unit boundaries and faults; however,
modifications to map-unit symbology, and minor modifications to map-unit descriptions,
have been made to clarify lithostratigraphy and to modernize terminology. The generation
of a Correlation of Map Units (CMU) diagram required interpretation of the original data,
because no CMU diagram was presented by Abdullah and Chmyriov (1977).
This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat
natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan
Geological Survey) quadrangles shown on the index map. The maps for any given quadrangle
have the same open-file report (OFR) number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D
for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps,
respectively. The OFR numbers range in sequence from 1092 to 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the
geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited
fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS in
cooperation with the AGS and AGCHO.
1Geospatial analysis software developed by MicroImages, Inc., Lincoln, NE
68508-2010.
Recommended download procedures due to large
file size—right-click (PC) or control-click (Macintosh)
and save file to hard drive. Opening file from hard drive will
result in a faster load time.
For scientific questions or comments, please send inquiries to Robert
G. Bohannon (E-mail: bbohannon@usgs.gov).
For more information about USGS activities in Afghanistan, visit the USGS
Projects in Afghanistan Web site (http://gisdata.usgs.net/Website/Afghan/).
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