HR: 1340h
AN: G13B-0810    [Abstracts]
TI: Exploiting LiDAR for Regional Morphologic Correlation and Dating of Wave-cut and Fault-Controlled Landforms
AU: * Crosby, C J
EM: chris.crosby@asu.edu
AF: Arizona State University, Deptartment of Geological Sciences Box 871404, Tempe, AZ 85287-1404 United States
AU: Arrowsmith, J R
EM: ramon.arrowsmith@asu.edu
AF: Arizona State University, Deptartment of Geological Sciences Box 871404, Tempe, AZ 85287-1404 United States
AU: Oldow, J S
EM: oldow@uidaho.edu
AF: University of Idaho, Department of Geological Sciences P.O. Box 443022, Moscow, ID 83844-3022 United States
AU: Prentice, C S
EM: cprentice@usgs.gov
AF: U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Rd. MS 977, Menlo Park, CA 94025 United States
AB: The capability to generate high-resolution Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) from LiDAR data (Light Distance and Ranging, also known as Airborne Laser Swath Mapping, or ALSM) across broad geographic regions provides a new tool for studying landscape response to tectonic deformation. Expanded LiDAR coverage from the Plate Boundary Observatory (PBO) and the National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping (NCALM) offers the prospect of applying these data to a variety of tectonic geomorphic studies. The data volume and point-density of LiDAR allows extensive repetition of profile-based landscape analyses without the need for laborious total station transects. Traditional DEMs, such as the USGS National Elevation Dataset, lack the resolution necessary for these types of analyses. We propose to exploit LiDAR data for landform correlation by conducting profile-based morphologic dating (linear and non-linear diffusion) of fault scarps and marine, lake and fluvial shorelines. The resolution and geographic extent of LiDAR coverage makes broad spatial correlations possible, assuming that controls on the hillslope processes are relatively constant across the region. Due to the high data density, numerous topographic profiles can be extracted from a DEM and analyzed for morphologic age. Correlation from profile to profile can then be established by comparing morphologic age for various landforms in a research area. With calibration, morphologic dating also offers the opportunity to constrain absolute ages of landforms. Once calibrated, landforms across the region can be quickly dated via profile-based analysis of the LiDAR-derived DEM. In addition, morphologic comparison of landforms of known age offers the opportunity to test the role of other constraints, such as aspect, microclimate, and substrate type on landform development by diffusive processes. Tests on synthetic profiles demonstrate the ability of morphologic dating to differentiate landforms of morphologic age 50 m$^{2} from ones of 100 m$^{2}. Application of this technique to recently acquired LiDAR datasets in northern California and in the Basin and Range province illustrates the power of morphologic dating for establishing correlations among regional landforms.
DE: 8194 Instruments and techniques
DE: 8040 Remote sensing
DE: 8107 Continental neotectonics
SC: Geodesy [G]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting