Integrated Remote Sensing and Field Validation for Geological and Structural Mapping of Neoproterozoic Basement Rocks in Northern Somalia

Integrated Remote Sensing and Field Validation for Geological and Structural Mapping of Neoproterozoic Basement Rocks in Northern Somalia | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Integrated Remote Sensing and Field Validation for Geological and Structural Mapping of Neoproterozoic Basement Rocks in Northern Somalia Ahmed Nur Dalmar This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9127447/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The Northern Somali Basement (NSB) represents a critical segment of the East African Orogen (EAO); however, it remains poorly mapped owing to a lack of geological investigations. This study employs an integrated approach, combining Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) multispectral data with systematic field investigations, to investigate the geological and structural framework of the Milxo area in northern Somalia. Image enhancement techniques, including principal component analysis (PCA) and specialized band ratios (Sabin’s and Kaufmann’s), were used to delineate lithological units and hydrothermal alteration zones. The results successfully discriminated younger granite intrusions from the surrounding Inda Ad complex metasediments, revealing that these granites occur as several isolated, smaller outcrops rather than the two large plutonic bodies depicted in legacy maps. Structural analysis identified a complex network of NE-SW and NW-SE trending lineaments and a major anticlinal fold, reflecting intense deformation during the Pan-African Orogeny. Fieldwork investigations further validated these findings, documenting phaneritic granitic textures, angular unconformities, and quartz veins. Notably, localized copper mineralization was observed along the identified fracture systems, suggesting strong structural control over mineral deposition. These results illustrate that combining satellite-based remote sensing with field validation offers an effective and economical method for geological mapping and mineral exploration in under-researched areas like Somalia. Remote Sensing Landsat 8 Lithological Mapping Northern Somalia East African Orogen Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9127447","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":608543913,"identity":"20edb644-2569-415c-876d-8c3ef54a1253","order_by":0,"name":"Ahmed Nur Dalmar","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA9UlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACCSDmYWOQAVLMDz4ASTZ2IrXwgBQbzgCRzCRoYZAGk4S08M/uTnzwpsyOR7f97ANjm1/b5PmYGRg/fMzBY8mds5sN55xL5jE7k27wOLfvtmEbMwOz5MxteKy5kbtNmreNmcfsQBqDcW7PbUagFjZmXjxa5G/kbv/N21bPY3b+GYO0Zc9te4JaDIC2MPO2HeYxu5HGIM3w43YiQS2GN3I3S845dxyo5RmbYW/D7eQ2ZsZmvH6Ru5G78cObsmo5s/NpzA9+/LltO7+9+eCHj/i8jwIY28BkA7HqQeAPKYpHwSgYBaNgpAAA+KtP+XpY5s8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"Hormuud University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ahmed","middleName":"Nur","lastName":"Dalmar","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-03-15 09:08:26","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":{"humanSubjects":false,"vertebrateSubjects":false,"conflictsOfInterestStatement":false,"humanSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false,"humanSubjectConsent":false,"humanSubjectClinicalTrial":false,"humanSubjectCaseReport":false,"vertebrateSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false},"doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9127447/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9127447/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":105562836,"identity":"b8d68fad-294e-4f7d-93e3-00a6f134e5df","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-27 12:44:53","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":3138930,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Dalmar2026.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9127447/v1_covered_91e08e3a-0916-49c8-b4af-b423b44c520e.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"The authors declare no competing interests.","formattedTitle":"Integrated Remote Sensing and Field Validation for Geological and Structural Mapping of Neoproterozoic Basement Rocks in Northern Somalia","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Remote Sensing, Landsat 8, Lithological Mapping, Northern Somalia, East African Orogen ","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9127447/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9127447/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThe Northern Somali Basement (NSB) represents a critical segment of the East African Orogen (EAO); however, it remains poorly mapped owing to a lack of geological investigations. This study employs an integrated approach, combining Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) multispectral data with systematic field investigations, to investigate the geological and structural framework of the Milxo area in northern Somalia. Image enhancement techniques, including principal component analysis (PCA) and specialized band ratios (Sabin\u0026rsquo;s and Kaufmann\u0026rsquo;s), were used to delineate lithological units and hydrothermal alteration zones. The results successfully discriminated younger granite intrusions from the surrounding Inda Ad complex metasediments, revealing that these granites occur as several isolated, smaller outcrops rather than the two large plutonic bodies depicted in legacy maps. Structural analysis identified a complex network of NE-SW and NW-SE trending lineaments and a major anticlinal fold, reflecting intense deformation during the Pan-African Orogeny. Fieldwork investigations further validated these findings, documenting phaneritic granitic textures, angular unconformities, and quartz veins. Notably, localized copper mineralization was observed along the identified fracture systems, suggesting strong structural control over mineral deposition. These results illustrate that combining satellite-based remote sensing with field validation offers an effective and economical method for geological mapping and mineral exploration in under-researched areas like Somalia.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Integrated Remote Sensing and Field Validation for Geological and Structural Mapping of Neoproterozoic Basement Rocks in Northern Somalia","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-03-20 11:47:02","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9127447/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"87373a0d-8c57-4fd1-a5f6-7e49df9f8297","owner":[],"postedDate":"March 20th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"remote-sensing-in-earth-systems-sciences","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"rses","sideBox":"Learn more about [Remote Sensing in Earth Systems Sciences](https://link.springer.com/journal/41976)","snPcode":"41976","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/41976/3","title":"Remote Sensing in Earth Systems Sciences","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-04-12T13:23:59+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-03-20 11:47:02","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9127447","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9127447","identity":"rs-9127447","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}