Assessing the slope of channels using Python and Linux algorithms: A case study on the central Indian drainage system to infer neotectonic activity

Fluvial geomorphology provides important insights into neotectonic activity because river systems respond sensitively to crustal deformation through changes in channel geometry and slope. In this study, channel slope and steepness of river networks in the Jabalpur region of Central India, located along the Son–Narmada South Fault (SNSF) within the Central Indian Tectonic Zone (CITZ), are analysed to evaluate possible neotectonic activity. Channel steepness indices and chi analysis were calculated using three approaches: a traditional manual method and two automated algorithm-based tools—LSDTopoTools (Linux-based) and LandSpy (Python-based). Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data were used to extract drainage networks and construct longitudinal river profiles. The results demonstrate that the drainage networks derived from all three methods are largely consistent, although minor variations in flow paths occur in the LSDTopoTools output. Channel steepness maps reveal a clear spatial contrast across the study area, with rivers south of the SNSF exhibiting higher steepness values compared to those in the northern block. This asymmetry suggests differential uplift and supports the interpretation of neotectonic reactivation along the fault system. Although LandSpy produces steepness values approximately 5000 times higher than those obtained by the other methods, the relative trends remain consistent after normalization. Among the tested approaches, LSDTopoTools provides the most efficient and reliable results for regional-scale geomorphic analysis. The study highlights the usefulness of automated geomorphic algorithms for rapid assessment of tectonic activity and demonstrates the significance of river profile analysis for understanding neotectonic processes in stable continental regions.