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Fatima Kharbouch, Faculté des Sciences de Rabat (Morocco)
Badiâ Bouab, Faculté des Sciences de Rabat (Morocco)
Amina Malaki, Faculté des Sciences de Rabat (Morocco)
Mohamed Zahraoui, Faculté des Sciences de Rabat (Morocco)
Mohamed El Wartiti, Faculté des Sciences de Rabat (Morocco)
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Summary:
The volcanic paradise of the Middle Atlas Mountains is rich in spectacular forms: cinder cones, craters, Pillow lava 'formed when hot lava is suddenly exposed to cold water'. A maar 'low relief crater that is caused by a phreatic eruption or explosion caused by groundwater contact with hot lava or magma. '. Basalt Columns 'Large eruptions of basalt lava may create deep flows of molten rock. As the rock slowly cools it shrinks slightly. The stresses cause jointing in several different planes, and columns of rock form with a generally hexagonal shape, like pencils.' The Jurassic limestone plateaus of El Hajeb, Ifrane and Guigou became the Tabular Middle Atlas, and which is separated from the folded Middle Atlas by the big fracture of Timahdite, directed NE-SW.
Between El Hajeb and Itzer on more than 80 km of direction NS, are spread out castings of basalts 'known as alkaline' typical of the large intraplaques cracks (Rift). Along the valley of Guigou wadi, in the East in the valley of the Tigrigra wadi, the septentrional volcano of Ougui pours its lava on the plain of Sais. Near Ifrane, on the road of El Hajeb, to the left, we see clearly from the cone of El Koudiat (In 1785 of height) spreads out an immense casting of basalts the change of which gives forms in metric balls. The basalts for example of Jbel Hebri contain scraps of greenish rock remainder of the fusion of subcontinental Moroccan lithospheric mantle. In the West of Jbel Hebri on the principal road No21 connecting Azrou to Timehdite, the cones (strombolian-type eruptions) are well preserved. One reaches a quarry of the western side of Jbel Hebri (to 2101 m of altitude), from where one exploits the layers of fragments of lava: (pozzolana). Among product of projections of lavas we find: ashes-lapillis and bombs-blocks, one finds there beautiful form of bombs (of a few cm with 1 m) in spindle and cauliflowers or bread crust testifying to phenomenon of contact lava-water.
Elsewhere, in France particularly, two French vulcanologists Maurice and Katia KRAFFT were the initiators of the idea of a volcanic museum in Auvergne in France (the Central Massif); this recent volcanic province became a regional attractive natural park by the commitment of local authorities in close association with the State; aware of safeguarding the landscape that nature has shaped over time. The realization of Vulcania in Auvergne, a tourist and educational complex proposes to understand and live by simulating a volcanic eruption with guided tours of volcanoes in the open-air. The volcanic géopark of the Middle Atlas Mountains which presents the same spectacular natural landscape as that of Auvergne must be protected and valued. Therefore they have to be properly managed and supervised by professional of mountain and geologists, in order to preserve their original natural conditions. and it would be a tool for local development.
Keywords: GéoPark, Morocco, Auvergne, Middle Atlas, local development.
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