Integrated use of SRM, Landsat ETM+ data and 3D perspective views to identify the tectonic geomorphology of Dehradun valley, India

Abstract

The present study aims to develop an integrated shaded relief model (SRM), remote sensing image and three‐dimensional (3D) perspective view based approach for delineating tectonic geomorphology of the Dehradun Intermontane valley, India. SRM created from digital elevation model (DEM) actually represents the information of the bare ground surface without any surface cover such as vegetation and landuse. Under user‐specified positions of the sun, this was useful in enhancing the lineaments. This, coupled with Landsat ETM+ data and 3D perspective views has proven to be a very good tool for the identification of geological features. In a hilly terrain, like the present area, having dense forest cover, many places are inaccessible and geological field mapping is quite difficult. This approach successfully identified tectonic geomorphological features like faults, alluvial fans and terraces in the present area. Comparison of the identified faults and geomorphic features with published work and field checks reveals that this method of mapping can reduce the time and effort required in fieldwork to a large extent.