Quantitative Geomorphometrics for Terrain Characterization

Abstract

The\rrelationship between geology and landforms has long been established with\rquantitative analysis dating back more than 100 years. The surface expression\rof various subsurface lithologies motivates our effort to develop an automated\rterrain classification algorithm based solely on topographic information. The\rnexus of several factors has recently provided the opportunity\rto advance our understanding of the relationship between topography and\rgeology within a rigorous quantitative framework, including recent advances in\rthe field of geomorphometrics (the science of quantitative land surface\ranalysis), the availability of very high resolution (sub meter) digital\relevation models, and increasing sophisticated geomorphology and image analysis\rtechniques. In the present study, the geological and geomorphological units in\ran exemplar study area located in Western U.S. (southern Nevada) have been\rdelineated through an evaluation of a high resolution (1-meter and 0.25-meter)\rdigital elevation model. The morphological aspects of these features obtained\rfrom DEMs generated from different sources are compared. Our analysis\rdemonstrates that a 1-meter DEM can provide a terrain characterization that can\rdifferentiate underlying lithological types and a very high resolution DEM\r(0.25 meter) can be used to evaluate fracture patterns.