Material to support Geo-science
Module
(1)
REMOTE SENSING FOR
GEOLOGY
REMOTE SENSING FOR
GEOLOGY
Material to support Geo-science Module (1)
by:
Sutikno
Faculty of Geography
Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta
WHAT IS REMOTE SENSING IN GEOLOGY AND
WHAT TYPE OF REMOTE SENSING IMAGES
ARE USUALLY USED
1. REMOTE SENSING IN GEOLOGY:
2.
APPLICATION OF REMOTE SENSING FOR
OBTAINING GEOLOGICAL INFORMATION OR
DATA ON: stratigraphy, lithology and geologic
structure.
REMOTE SENSING IMAGE FOR GEOLOGICAL
INVESTIGATION:
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS
LANDSAT
SPOT
RADAR
THERMAL INFRA RED
REMOTE
SENSING
REMOTE SENSING
GEOLOGY
REMOTE SENSING
IN GEOLOGY
GEOLOGIC
RESOURCES
GEOLOGIC
HAZARD
MINERAL & ROCKS
MASS MOVEMENT
WATER
VOLCANIC ERUPTION
ENERGY
EARTHQUAKE
LANDFORMS
FLOOD
WHAT IS THE AIM AND THE STATUS OF THE
GEOLOGICAL REMOTE SENSING IMAGE
INTERPRETATION
1. The aim is to obtain lithologic,
stratigraphy and geological structure
2. The status:
is not as an alternative of field geology;
fieldwork always carried out to check the
result of the image interpretation;
the results of the image interpretation are
supposed similar with data from other
sources.
ARE THERE ANY IMAGE CHARACTERISTICS
FOR INTERPRETATION PURPOSES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Tone
Texture
Pattern
Shape/form
Site
Association
Shadow
Pattern
WHAT KINDS OF GEOLOGICAL
INFORMATION CAN BE OBTAINED FROM
RS IMAGES
1. Topographic pattern
2. Drainage pattern
3. Landform units
4. Lithogical/rocks units
5. Geological structures
6. Mineral deposits location
7. Susceptible area for erosion, massmovement, earthquake, volcanic.
Significance of Drainage Pattern
Pattern
Characteristics
Significance
Dendritic
Irregular branching of
stream, leaf appearance
Develops in flat areas of uniform
compositions with little or no
structural control: sedimentary
rocks near horizontal, intrusive
rocks; strongly metamorphosed
rocks.
Trellis
Sub parallel streams, along
nearly parallel topography
features with short
perpendicular
interconnected channels
Most likely develop in areas of
sedimentary rocks with marked
structural control due to
alternating resistant and less
resistant beds.
Rectangular
Abrupt right-angle
deflection of stream
directions.
May indicate structural control of
intrusive igneous rocks or tilted
sedimentary rocks.
Radial
Streams diverge from a
centrally elevated point.
Develop on dome, volcanic cones,
and other type of isolated conical
or subconical hills.
HOW TO IDENTIFY AND INTERPRETATION OF
GEOLOGICAL DATA FROM RS IMAGES
1.
Using element for geological interpretation:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
2.
Outcrop features and distribution
Structure in detail
Landform
Drainage pattern
Vegetation
Cultural features
Using factors for geological features identification:
a.
b.
c.
Form; for lithology and structure identification
Asymmetrical slope: to determine the dip slope of the
beds
Drainage: to recognize the density and pattern.Drainage
density is associate to rock resistance and permeability.
Drainage pattern is important for lithological and
structural interpretation.
CHARACTERISTICS OF DRAINAGE SYSTEM IN
GEOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Integration
Density or spaciation
Homogeneity
Orientation and control
Pattern
HOW TO INTERPRETATE THE LITHOLOGY
1. Lithological units are easily to identify from
remote sensing image (especially aerial
photograph):
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
Sandstone
Shale stone
Limestone
A certain igneous and metamorphic rocks
Unconsolidated material, such as: sand, gravel,
clay
Intercalation resistance and non resistance rocks
2. Sedimentary rocks can be identify and
classified based on:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
Texture
Mineral composition
Color
Porosity
Permeability
Drainage density
Drainage pattern (fig.1)
Three types of
sedimentary rocks
limestone
Arenaceous
limestone
Clay limestone
Water soluble
Subsurface drainage
Sinkhole
Calcareous
sandstone
Internal drainage
External drainage
Wide spaced
pattern
sandstone
Argillaceous sandstone
Calcareous shale,
marl
Closed spaced
pattern
Arenaceous shale
shale
CARBONATE
Fig. Image/photo
characteristic of
sedimentary rocks
Resistant/
nonresistant,
soluble, karstification,
internal and external
drainage,jointing; light to
medium photo tone
Intermediate
lithologies with
mixed
characteristics
Resistant,
porous,
permeable
depend on cement and
matrix, internal drainage,
low density; frequent joint
system; light or light to
medium photo tone
COARSE GRAINED CLASTICS
Low
resistant
insoluble
Impervious, external
drainage, high density,
dark to medium photo
tone
FINE GRAINED CLASTICS
IDENTIFICATION OF SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
FROM IMAGE/AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH
Coarse clastic
Fine clastic:
sediment:
sediment:clay,
breccia,conglomerate shale, siltstone
sandstone
Carbonate:
limestone and
dolomite, marls
Resistant, depend on
cementation
Low permeability
and non resistant
In arid resistant, in
humid soluble
Form: cuesta, hogbag,
mesa
In humid: low hill
with rounded topo.
Karst topography
As key horizon for
structural analysis
Impervious, external
drainage
Sink hole and doline
dominant
Joint system well develop
Joint system not
develop
Joint frequent,
longitudinal belt of dark
tone/color
Drainage: low-medium
density
Drainage: high
density
Low drainage density
Drainage pattern:
dendritic, trellis
Dendritic drainage
pattern
Partly: underground
Tone: light to medium
Gray to dark tone
Light to dark photo tone
Example of sedimentary from aerial photograph
Sedimentary rocks and structural features
Limestone
A: volcanic deposit
B: fluvial deposit
B
C: volcanic breccia
D: limestone
E: coastal sand
D
A
A
A: fluvial deposit (swampy)
B: fluvial deposit (swale)
C: sandy (beach ridges)
B
IMAGE CHARACTERISTICS OF IGNEOUS
ROCKS
1.
Based on mineral composition:
2.
Extrusive rocks:
3.
Acidic: light photo tone
Intermediate: light to medium photo tone
Basic: dark to dark photo tone
Associate with volcanic landform
Porosity and permeability: high
External drainage
Basic lava: shield volcano, joint are predominate
Acidic lava: bocca, spatter cone, lava blister
Intermediate lava: strato volcano
Intrusive rocks:
Homogeny
Topography hummocky (humid) and sharp (arid)
Joint: frequent
Drainage pattern with low density.
IMAGE CHARACTERISTICS OF
METAMORPHIC ROCK
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Massive topography, stratigraphy not clearly appear
Permeability is low; drainage density high to medium;
drainage pattern: dendritic, trellis or parallel.
Quartzite: resistant, massive topography, low permeability,
dendritic, trellis; gray photo tone
Marble: in arid and semi arid resistant, in humid similar to
limestone
Slates: low resistant, high drainage density, dendritic; dark to
medium gray
Gneiss: resistant, massive topography, low
permeability,dendritic, trellis; gray photo tone
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURE IMAGE
INTERPRETATION
1. FLAT-LAYING BEDS:
Contrasting tone of different sedimentary rocks
Break of slope along the contour
Dendritic drainage pattern
2. DIPPING BEDS (FOLDS)
Topographic surfaces coincide with bedding surface
Asymetrical slope can be used to determine the
direction of the dip
Pattern of outcrop on valley can be used to determine
the direction of the dip
Major stream usually flow parallel to the strike of the
stratified beds.
3. JOINTS
Linear features/lineaments, thin rather than short, in regular
direction
Intersecting joint approximately at right angles (vertically, dipping)
give a blocky pattern of the topography.
In fine grained clastic rocks joint are generally more closely
spaced
4. FAULTS
Linear features/lineament
Triangle facet
Alignment of vegetation, straight of river/stream
segment, alignment of lakes, ponds and springs
Changes of tone, drainage and erotional features on
opposite of linear features
Alignment of topography.
WHAT IS THE CONTENT OF THE PRELIMINARY
GEOLOGICAL MAP RESULTING FROM RS IMAGE
INTERPRETATION
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Lithological units: may composed of single rock or
group of rocks FORMATION
Geologic structures indicators: dip slope, bedding
plane
Continue or discontinue of the bed layers
Indicators of fault and unconformity
Landform units
Drainage pattern, can be used to identify the lithology
and structure
Control point, important location, ground control
PRACTICAL EXERCISES
1. Material: aerial photograph, Landsat
2. Procedure:
Draw drainage pattern, road
Delineate lithology based on: relief, drainage density,
topographic expression, landform, land cover or land
use
Identification of geologic structure, dip, dip slope
Draw the preliminary structure
Fill the image characteristics on the interpretation table
Draw preliminary photo geological/image geological
map
Determine the sample areas
3. Field check
GROUP PRACTICAL EXERCISES
1.
2.
Geological interpretation from aerial photographs and Landsat of
certain area.
Draw preliminary geological map:
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Drainage pattern
Lithological unit
Structural features;
Morphological features
Road
Area, point samples
Field check
Reinterpretation
Final map (photo-geological map/remote sensing geological map)
Evaluation of natural resources based on the geological condition.
Report
LITHOLOGIC MAPPING FROM IMAGES
1. Lithologic mapping from images:
analysis and interpretation of the spectral and spatial
information within the images
expressed by:
landform development,
drainage pattern
drainage density
vegetation difference
spectral reflectivity
context of climatic effects
Spectral Reflectivity
1)
2)
3)
measure of the amount of light reflected by material
express by photographic tone or color
related to chemistry and structure of material, modified
by environmental factors and physical condition of
material.
Diagnostic criterion for lithologic discrimination
Spectral variation of rocks
(in visible and near-infrared spectrum)
1) In igneous rocks depend on:
iron content
oxidation state
water
2) In sedimentary and metamorphic similar
to igneous, except for carbonates:
Strong absorption caused by vibrational
processes due to CO3-2 and Al-O-H deformation
in clay minerals.
Spectra igneous rocks:
Top: high acidic composition
Bottom: mafic rocks
Absorption granite at: 1.4,
1.9 and 2.2 m, due vibration
of overtone and combination
of OH- and H2O
Laboratory Spectra
Reference
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Allum.J.A.E.1966. Photogeology and Regional
Mapping. Pergamon Press. Oxford.
Bandat, H.F.von. 1962. Aerogeolgy. Gulf Publishing
Company. Houston. Texas.
Mekel.J.F.M. 1978. The Use of Aerial Photographs and
Other Images in Geological Mapping. ITC Texbook
VIII-1. Vol.1.
Reeves. R.G.; Anson A.; Landen D. (ed).1975. Manual
of Remote Sensing.American Society of
Photogrametry. Falls Church, Virginia.
Siegal, Barry. S. and Gillespie.A. (ed). 1980. Remote
Sensing in Geology. John Wiley & Sons. New York.
