Controles morfoestruturais na orientação de lajedos e inselbergs em Quixadá e Quixeramobim - CE

Abstract

Granitic geomorphology is a field of study that seeks to understand the formation and evolution of landscapes sculpted in igneous rocks. Among granitic landforms, inselbergs and rock pavements stand out as important residual features in the semi-arid landscape of northeastern Brazil. This study investigates the morphostructural controls on the orientation of these features in the municipalities of Quixadá and Quixeramobim, Ceará, located in the Central Ceará Domain of the Borborema Province. The main objective is to analyze the spatial distribution and orientation of inselbergs and rock pavements to verify the existence of patterns that may be associated with regional geological structures. The methodology includes the acquisition and processing of cartographic data, the application of GIS-based geoprocessing tools, and descriptive statistics. The Global Spatial Autocorrelation Index (Moran’s I) and the Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA) were used to analyze the spatial distribution of the studied features at both regional and local scales. The results indicated that the inselbergs of the two plutons exhibit a predominantly random distribution, with no significant statistical relationship to geological structures. In contrast, rock pavements displayed spatially correlated orientation patterns, especially near the Senador Pompeu Shear Zone. The findings of this study reinforce the importance of morphometric and statistical analysis in understanding the evolution of granitic landforms.