Knickpoint finder: A software tool that improves neotectonic analysis

Autor: Eduardo Salamuni, Edenilson Roberto do Nascimento, Gustavo Lopes Queiroz
Rok vydání: 2015
Předmět:
Zdroj: Computers & Geosciences. 76:80-87
ISSN: 0098-3004
DOI: 10.1016/j.cageo.2014.11.004
Popis: This work presents a new software tool for morphometric analysis of drainage networks based on the methods of Hack (1973) and Etchebehere et al. (2004). This tool is applicable to studies of morphotectonics and neotectonics. The software used a digital elevation model (DEM) to identify the relief breakpoints along drainage profiles (knickpoints). The program was coded in Python for use on the ArcGIS platform and is called Knickpoint Finder. A study area was selected to test and evaluate the software's ability to analyze and identify neotectonic morphostructures based on the morphology of the terrain. For an assessment of its validity, we chose an area of the James River basin, which covers most of the Piedmont area of Virginia (USA), which is an area of constant intraplate seismicity and non-orogenic active tectonics and exhibits a relatively homogeneous geodesic surface currently being altered by the seismogenic features of the region. After using the tool in the chosen area, we found that the knickpoint locations are associated with the geologic structures, epicenters of recent earthquakes, and drainages with rectilinear anomalies. The regional analysis demanded the use of a spatial representation of the data after processing using Knickpoint Finder. The results were satisfactory in terms of the correlation of dense areas of knickpoints with active lineaments and the rapidity of the identification of deformed areas. Therefore, this software tool may be considered useful in neotectonic analyses of large areas and may be applied to any area where there is DEM coverage. A software based on concepts of local and regional slope aids neotectonic analysis.Stronger knickpoint anomalies can be correlated to regional structures.Areas next to epicenters of Virginia's recent quakes have higher knickpoint density.James River's course is very affected by regional structures and knickpoints.
Databáze: OpenAIRE