Abstract:

Extraction of active fault location and active fault surface deformation features is essential for the study of active fault systems, and a large number of studies have been carried out on fault extraction based on Digital Elevation Model (DEM). This article summarizes the active fault extraction methods using DEM of lower than 30 m resolution and very-high resolution DEM, such as Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) DEM and Structure from Motion (SfM) DEM. The fault extraction methods can be divided mainly into three categories: geomorphic feature interpretation, image interpretation and multiple interpretation. Geomorphic feature interpretation is based on GIS spatial analyses. Image interpretation identifies faults by examining linear variation of surface deformation through image processing algorithms. Multiple interpretation combines the above two methods with remote sensing image processing. Meanwhile, this article reviews the most recent progress in the extraction of surface deformation features using DEM, and enumerates the extraction of fault scarp and deformed drainage characteristics. With the progress in high-resolution DEM, DEM and its spatial analysis techniques have become a conventional geoscience research method. The integration of this method with field research, remote sensing, and dating techniques can provide a strong technical support to quantitative study in fault research.

Key words: Digital Elevation Model (DEM), LiDAR DEM, active fault, surface deformation of fault