Geological and Hydrogeological Implications of Gravity Data in the Aqra Plain Iraqi Kurdistan Region

A geophysical gravity survey was conducted in the Aqra plain in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. The survey included 116 stations taken along the main highways and some unpaved roads. The objective of the survey was to study the structural situation of the subsurface and the effects of its geological structures on underground water to detect any gas seeps in some parts of the plain. Simple analyses of the present data were integrated with the observed surface geological features. Basement rocks underneath the plain seem to dip towards the north and northeast with a depth ranging from 5.5 to 6.5km. Gas seeps are shown to be related to a major fault between the two villages of Ruvia and Malabarwan. The condition of groundwater is fairly correlated with the residual gravity data and inferred faults. These faults are oriented in two directions, N-S and E-W.