Abstract
The relationship between geology and landforms has long been established with quantitative analysis dating back more than 100 years. The surface expression of various subsurface lithologies motivates our effort to develop an automated terrain classification algorithm based solely on topographic information. The nexus of several factors has recently provided the opportunity to advance our understanding of the relationship between topography and geology within a rigorous quantitative framework, including recent advances in the field of geomorphometrics (the science of quantitative land surface analysis), the availability of very high resolution (sub meter) digital elevation models, and increasing sophisticated geomorphology and image analysis techniques. In the present study, the geological and geomorphological units in an exemplar study area located in Western U.S. (southern Nevada) have been delineated through an evaluation of a high resolution (1-meter and 0.25-meter) digital elevation model. The morphological aspects of these features obtained from DEMs generated from different sources are compared. Our analysis demonstrates that a 1-meter DEM can provide a terrain characterization that can differentiate underlying lithological types and a very high resolution DEM (0.25 meter) can be used to evaluate fracture patterns.
Highlights
The topography of the Earth’s surface provides important information for geomorphic studies because it reflectsHow to cite this paper: Coblentz, D., Pabian, F. and Prasad, L. (2014) Quantitative Geomorphometrics for Terrain Characterization
Variations in the mechanical and chemical properties of geologic formations allow variable weathering which results in the exposure and highlight of near-surface structures. These structural imprints are recorded in digital elevation models (DEMs) of the topography and, as we have demonstrated above, the quantitative analysis of the landscape can provide valuable insight into the geology of the underlying bedrock
Given the limitations and caveats discussed above, we draw the following general conclusions from our study: Topography can reflect the geological structure of a terrain, supporting the conclusions of [83]-[91] that geology can be derived from topography
Summary
The topography of the Earth’s surface provides important information for geomorphic studies because it reflectsHow to cite this paper: Coblentz, D., Pabian, F. and Prasad, L. (2014) Quantitative Geomorphometrics for Terrain Characterization. The topography of the Earth’s surface provides important information for geomorphic studies because it reflects. Recent advances in the field of geomorphometrics (the science of quantitative land surface analysis) have opened up new opportunities to evaluate the geologic signatures embedded in the topographic fabric of the landscape. The interplay between the subsurface geology and the surface topography is reflected in the topographic character of the landscape as well as the nature of the drainage pattern formed by the erosion of the topography. There exists a long history in the development of the process-based approach to geomorphology studies [2] with the evaluation of drainage patterns playing a central role in understanding landscape geomorphology [3]-[12]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
