# Multi-Source Satellite Imagery and Machine Learning
## 3 Study Area  
The selected study area is located in the Western Highlands of Cameroon (WHPC), covering approximately 9000 km\({}^{2}\) (Figure 1). It lies between longitudes 09\({}^{\circ}\)50\({}^{\prime}\) E to 10\({}^{\circ}\)45\({}^{\prime}\) E and latitudes 5\({}^{\circ}\)15\({}^{\prime}\) N to 6\({}^{\circ}\)10\({}^{\prime}\) N, overlapping parts of the West and North-West regions of Cameroon. The cities of Bafoussam and Bamenda serve as administrative headquarters and major urban centers.  
The terrain is predominantly mountainous, with elevations exceeding 2000 m, but it also includes plains below 500 m and plateaus ranging between 500 and 2000 m. Prominent geological features include plutonic massits such as Mbam (2335 m), Nkogam (2263 m), and Mbapit (1989 m). To the west, Santa Peak (Mount Lefo, 2550 m) forms part of the Bamenda Mountains. The Bamboutos Mountains, characterized by several peaks above 2700 m, represent the highest elevation within the West Cameroon region. They form Cameroon's second-largest water reservoir after the Adamaoua region and significantly contribute to regional drainage and groundwater recharge.  
The hydrographic network in the WHPC area is dense and closely related to its rugged topography and fracture patterns. Rivers flow primarily along SE-NW and SW-NE directions and include major rivers such as the Mbam, Noun, Nkam, Metchum, and Menoua. The region is drained by four main watersheds: two coastal (Cross River and Wouri) and two continental (Benue-Niger and Sanaga). The most significant river systems are the Noun and the Nkam rivers, oriented NW-SE and N-S respectively, with perpendicular tributaries  
Figure 1: Geological and location map of the study area.  
such as the Mifi South, Mifi North, and Menoua rivers. These rivers frequently feature waterfalls (e.g., Marmmywata and Metche), especially near abrupt elevation changes, and supply reservoirs including the significant Lake Bamendijing dam.  
The Western Highlands of Cameroon exhibit a rich and complex geology characterized by diverse lithological formations resulting from a prolonged geodynamic history [15]. The crystalline basement, a product of the Pan-African orogen, predominantly comprises crystalline schists and magmatic rocks [16]. Orthogneisses, migmatitis gneisses, and amphibolites dominate the landscape, intersected by aplite and pegmatite dykes. Syntectonic and post-tectonic granitic massits, such as those of Bandja, Fomopea, and Batie, are distinguished by their feldspar-, quartz-, and biotite-rich compositions, reflecting intense magmatic activity during the Neoproterozoic. These formations reveal complex structural features, including isoclinal folds, intricate foliations, and shear zones, indicative of multiphase tectonic deformation [17]. The Cenozoic and Quaternary cover further enriches this basement through significant volcanic episodes. Three major volcanic phases are identified: the Eocene andesitic-basaltic phase, the Pliocene tracolytic-rhyolitic phase, and the Quaternary basaltic phase. The lower black series basalts, characterized by thick and prismatic flows, extensively cover the plateaus, while the tracbytes and rhyolites of the middle white series shape the reliefs of the Bamboutos and Bamenda mountains. The more recent basaltic flows, along with pyroclastic deposits and ignimbrites, mark the Quaternary volcanic phase, indicative of active Strombolian-type volcanism. These volcanic formations significantly influence the current topography and contribute to the fertility of the region's soils.  
Major tectonic structures profoundly affect this geological framework. Episodes of folding and later strike-slip faulting have generated a network of faults and shear zones that continue to guide regional drainage and influence volcanic alignments. The resulting geological architecture endows the Western Highlands with a diverse geomorphology and substantial geological potential, fostering scientific research and local economic activities.