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Remote Sensing Perspectives of Geomorphology and Tectonic Processes

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A special issue of Remote Sensing (ISSN 2072-4292). This special issue belongs to the section "Remote Sensing in Geology, Geomorphology and Hydrology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 31507

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Zhikun Ren

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Guest Editor

Institute of Geology, China Earthquake Administration, Beijing 100029, China
Interests: active tectonics; quantitative geomorphology; remote sensing; seismics

Prof. Dr. Peizhen Zhang

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Guest Editor

School of Earth Science and Geological Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
Interests: seismology and geology; cenozoic tectonics; seismic dynamics; continental dynamics; neotectonics and climate

Prof. Dr. Takashi Oguchi

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Guest Editor

Center for Spatial Information Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
Interests: geomorphology; geology; cartography
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Zhongtai He

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Guest Editor

Institute of Geology, China Earthquake Administration, Beijing 100029, China
Interests: seismic disasters prevention; structural geomorphology; earthquake seismology; photogrammetry and remote sensing; earthquake emergency response
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Geomorphology and tectonic processes are key in understanding the Earth’s evolution. It involves the origins and evolution of geomorphology and tectonic processes from short-term to long-term deformations, which are multi-discipline research topics involving geomorphology, tectonophysics, and earthquake geology. Research on the evolution of tectonic geomorphology of plateau margins and orogenic belts is usually long-term. Geomorphology is gradually formed and repeated morphogenic earthquakes are definitely involved. The linkage between short-term and long-term geomorphic evolution is the key to understanding the evolution of tectonic geomorphology. Thanks to the development of remote sensing technology, it has gradually become the traditional study method used to study geomorphology and tectonic processes. In particular, the availability of high-resolution data sets form satellite optical remote sensing, InSAR, aerial remote sensing, high-resolution drone airborne optical and LiDAR data, coupled with advanced processing techniques and algorithms, have enabled us to better understand the interplay between crustal deformation, earthquake ruptures, and their signature in geomorphic evolution. We encourage contributions from both short-term and long-term deformations that address the evolution of geomorphology and tectonic processes, particularly using remote sensing data.

This Special Issue aims to study active tectonic geomorphology processes using high-resolution data acquired by different remote sensing platforms and sensors. Topics may cover short-term and long-term deformations that address the geomorphology and tectonics processes in various tectonic regimes worldwide, including major geological hazards (e.g., earthquakes, volcanos, landslides, and debris flows). Hence, multisource data integration (e.g., satellite remote sensing, InSAR, high-resolution drone airborne optical images, and LiDAR), multiscale approaches, or studies focused on geomorphology and tectonic processes are welcome. We welcome original research, reviews, methods, and other article types considered by Remote Sensing. Articles may address, but are not limited to, the following topics:

Tectonic geomorphology;
Active tectonics;
Surface processes associated with strong earthquakes;
Landscape evolution;
Multiple remote sensing data;
Fluvial geomorphic index;
Crustal deformation;
Quantitative geomorphology;
Seismic surface rupture.

Prof. Dr. Zhikun Ren
Prof. Dr. Peizhen Zhang
Prof. Dr. Takashi Oguchi
Dr. Zhongtai He
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Remote Sensing is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

active tectonics
tectonic geomorphology
remote sensing
earthquake geology
geodynamics
geological disaster prevention

Published Papers (13 papers)

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Editorial

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8 pages, 858 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Remote Sensing Perspectives on Geomorphology and Tectonic Processes

by Zhikun Ren, Peizhen Zhang, Takashi Oguchi and Zhongtai He

Remote Sens. 2023, 15(9), 2327; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15092327 - 28 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1577

Abstract

The quantity and quality of remote sensing measurements of tectonic deformation have increased dramatically over the past two decades, improving our ability to observe active geomorphological tectonic processes. High-precision and high-resolution topography is the basis for the quantitative study of active geomorphological and tectonic processes. Recently, with the rapid development of computer visual science and the growing application of light detection and ranging (LiDAR), small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and structure from motion (SfM) photogrammetry have shown great potential in providing high-resolution and high-precision topographic information. In this Special Issue, we focus on the tectonic activity of active faults and the geomorphic processes in various global tectonic regimes that are related to remote sensing measurements. This Special Issue covers major earthquake hazards and seismogenic structures, new methods in seismological studies using high-resolution data sets, and the tectonic and geomorphic application of high-resolution data sets worldwide and, in particular, in the Eastern Tibetan Plateau and Tian Shan. These contributions will provide new insights into the remote sensing perspectives of geomorphological and tectonic processes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing Perspectives of Geomorphology and Tectonic Processes)

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Research

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25 pages, 21962 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Quaternary Crustal Shortening of the Houyanshan Structure in the Eastern Chinese Tian Shan: Constrained from Geological and Geomorphological Analyses

by Xue Yang, Zhigang Li, Weitao Wang, Peizhen Zhang, Chuanyong Wu, Gan Chen, Lei Duan, Xiancan Wu and Kang Liu

Remote Sens. 2023, 15(6), 1603; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15061603 - 15 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1582

Abstract

The Tian Shan is one of the most active intracontinental orogenic belts in the world. It has undergone complex deformation that has resulted in the formation of several fold-and-thrust belts (FTBs) in the piedmonts and intermontane basins. Investigating the deformation histories of these FTBs is important for understanding the tectonic propagation processes of the Tian Shan. Here, we gain insight into these crustal shortening processes by deciphering the Houyanshan structure, a typical fold-thrust belt in the eastern Chinese Tian Shan. We first describe a curved thrust ramp and related fold pairs of the structure using high-resolution remote sensing photography, deformation of fluvial terraces, and field-based geological cross-section. Combined with deformed terrace records and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating results, the kinematic style allows us to yield a geologic shortening rate of 1.6 ± 0.2 mm/a since ~52 ka. Second, to reduce uncertainty in the seismic interpretation and quantify the amount and time of crustal shortening, we interpret three seismic reflection profiles by using the theory of quantitative fault-related fold, area-depth-strain (ADS), and reverse modeling analyses. These profiles provide direct evidence that this structure connects by means of a listric thrust ramp to a shallow detachment level. ADS analysis reveals that the maximum shortening of the Huoyanshan structure is ~4.5 km, which is consistent with the result of quantitative inverse modeling. Each of the structural analysis methods gives similar parameters, and the high consistency of results greatly improves the soundness of a given geologic interpretation. Finally, the shortening rate and total shortening amount suggest that the structure may have formed at 1.8–3.7 Ma, which is nearly synchronous around the Tibetan Plateau. Together, these results indicate that this combined geological and geomorphological analysis provides greater insight into deformation information than can be achieved by any individual technique in studying fold-and-thrust belts worldwide. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing Perspectives of Geomorphology and Tectonic Processes)

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19 pages, 26511 KiB

Open AccessArticle

DEM Generation from GF-7 Satellite Stereo Imagery Assisted by Space-Borne LiDAR and Its Application to Active Tectonics

by Xiaoxiao Zhu, Zhikun Ren, Sheng Nie, Guodong Bao, Guanghao Ha, Mingkun Bai and Peng Liang

Remote Sens. 2023, 15(6), 1480; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15061480 - 07 Mar 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2122

Abstract

China’s first optical stereo mapping satellite with a sub-meter resolution, GaoFen-7 (GF-7), launched in November 2019, shows significant potential for providing high-resolution topographic and geomorphic data for quantitative research on active tectonics. However, no studies have evaluated the capability of the GF-7-generated digital elevation model (DEM) for quantitatively studying active tectonics. This study aimed to validate the accuracy of the DEMs extracted from GF-7 stereo imagery, with or without ground control points (GCPs), and evaluated the potential of applying GF-7 DEMs to active tectonics. First, GF-7 stereo images were processed to obtain DEMs with a spatial resolution of 2 m, utilizing three different methods, including block adjustment without GCPs, block adjustment with the aid of Google Earth images and SRTM DEM, and block adjustment with GCPs derived from the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) data. These three generated DEMs were called GF-7 DEM_Method1, GF-7 DEM_Method2, and GF-7 DEM_Method3, respectively, and were verified by the airborne LiDAR data in the Hasishan section of the Haiyuan fault. Second, the capability of the GF-7 DEMs for identifying active faults, fault scarps, and horizontal offsets was evaluated. Finally, 8 vertical and 13 horizontal offsets were measured based on three different GF-7 DEMs, and airborne LiDAR data were used to verify the measurements’ accuracies. The results indicated that the accuracy of GF-7 DEM_Method1 was the worst and that of GF-7 DEM_Method3 was superior to that of GF-7 DEM_Method2. The GF-7 DEMs could effectively identify the apparent fault scarps and horizontal offsets. The RMSE values of the vertical offsets measured based on GF-7 DEM_Method1, GF-7 DEM_Method2, and GF-7 DEM_Method3 were 0.55 m, 0.55 m, and 0.41 m, respectively. The horizontal offsets yielded RMSE values of 3.98 m, 2.52 m, and 1.37 m, respectively. These findings demonstrated that vertical and horizontal offsets could be accurately measured using the DEMs generated from GF-7 stereo images. Meanwhile, our study indicated that the GCPs derived from ICESat-2 data could be utilized to improve the accuracies of the GF-7 DEM, and the measurements of vertical and horizontal offsets. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing Perspectives of Geomorphology and Tectonic Processes)

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23 pages, 15059 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Responses of Stream Geomorphic Indices to Piedmont Fault Activity in the Northern Segment of the Red River Fault Zone

by Long Guo, Zhongtai He and Linlin Li

Remote Sens. 2023, 15(4), 988; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15040988 - 10 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1937

Abstract

Based on a digital elevation model (DEM) and GIS technology, we extracted and analyzed stream geomorphic indices—such as the slope, relief degree of the land surface (RDLS), hypsometric integral (HI) and channel steepness index (k_sn)—of the Cangshan Piedmont Fault, Fengyi–Dingxiling Fault and Midu Basin Margin Fault in the northern segment of the Red River Fault Zone. This work indicates that all the stream geomorphic indices show higher values, with the highest values along the Cangshan Piedmont Fault, followed by the Fengyi–Dingxiling Fault, and the lowest values along the Midu Basin Margin Fault, forming a decreasing trend from north to south. Based on lithology, climate and tectonics, we infer that neotectonic activity is the main factor controlling the development of the drainage geomorphology. The results show that the northern segment of the Red River Fault Zone is highly active and that the activity level shows a decreasing trend from north to south. The results of this study are consistent with previous conclusions that the overall activity of the Red River Fault Zone weakens from north to south, and the activity in the northern segment has been the most intense since the Late Pleistocene. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing Perspectives of Geomorphology and Tectonic Processes)

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18 pages, 34722 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research of Seismogenic Structures of the 2016 and 2022 Menyuan Earthquakes, in the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau

by Junyi Wang, Lin Ding, Jiankun He, Fulong Cai, Chao Wang and Zongkun Zhang

Remote Sens. 2023, 15(3), 742; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15030742 - 27 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1781

Abstract

On 8 January 2022, a Moment Magnitude (Mw) 6.7 earthquake occurred in Menyuan, China. The epicenter was located in the western segment of the Lenglongling fault of the Qilian-Haiyuan fault zone. In this area, the Mw 5.9 Menyuan earthquake on 26 August 1986 and the Mw 5.9 Menyuan earthquake on 21 January 2016 successively occurred. The seismogenic structures of the 1986 and 2016 earthquakes are on the Northern Lenglongling fault, which is a few kilometers away from the Lenglongling fault. After the 2022 Menyuan earthquake, we collected GF-7 and Sentinel-1 satellite images to measure the surface deformation of the earthquake sequence. Based on the elastic dislocation theory, the fault model and fault slip distribution of the 2016 and 2022 Mengyuan earthquakes were inverted using coseismic surface displacements. The results show that the 2016 event is a reverse event, with the maximum coseismic surface displacement on LOS reaching 8 cm. The strike, dip, and rake of the earthquake rupture were 139°, 41°, and 78°, with the maximum slip reaching 0.6 m at a depth of 8 km. The surface rupture of the 2022 Mw 6.7 earthquake ran in the WNW–ESE direction with a maximum displacement on LOS of 72 cm. The main seismogenic fault of the 2022 event was the western segment of the Lenglongling fault. The strike, dip, and rake of the rupture were 112°, 85°, and 3°, with the maximum slip reaching 4 m at a depth of 4 km. The Coulomb failure stress change shows that the earthquake sequence generated a considerable positive Coulomb failure stress of more than 2 bar. These observations suggest that the earthquake sequence around Menyuan is mainly governed by the activities of the Lenglongling fault around the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. In addition, their sequential occurrences could be related to earthquake-triggering mechanisms due to stress interaction on different deforming faults. Thus, the Lenglongling fault has received a great amount of attention regarding its potential earthquake hazards. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing Perspectives of Geomorphology and Tectonic Processes)

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20 pages, 89876 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mobility and Location of Drainage Divides Affected by Tilting Uplift in Sado Island, Japan

by Akimasa Sakashita and Noritaka Endo

Remote Sens. 2023, 15(3), 729; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15030729 - 26 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1478

Abstract

Drainage divide is a dynamic feature that migrates in response to tectonic activity. The asymmetric uplift between two adjacent basins causes the divide migration from a slower to faster uplift area. Sado Island, Japan, has been affected by southeastward tilting uplift for ca. 300k years. Despite the faster uplift on the northwest, the main divides have existed on the southeast side of the geometric center of the island, with no other feature suggesting tectonic inversion of the tilting direction. In this study, we conducted a digital elevation model (DEM) based investigation that focused on divide migration. A spectrum from very inactive to active divide migration in the northwest. Regardless of their position, actively migrating divides are comprehensible, but inactive divides located in a relatively slow uplift area remain unclear. We concluded that some divides slowed down owing to the local balance of erosion rates across the divides, which does not imply balance between uplift and river erosion at the basin scale, reflecting disequilibrium in river longitudinal profiles. The main divides of Sado have presumably continued to slowly migrate toward the area of faster uplift; however, they are most likely to have never overcome the moving geometric center owing to land expansion at the seacoast due to asymmetric uplift. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing Perspectives of Geomorphology and Tectonic Processes)

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20 pages, 51633 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Using UAV-Based Photogrammetry Coupled with In Situ Fieldwork and U-Pb Geochronology to Decipher Multi-Phase Deformation Processes: A Case Study from Sarclet, Inner Moray Firth Basin, UK

by Alexandra Tamas, Robert E. Holdsworth, Dan M. Tamas, Edward D. Dempsey, Kit Hardman, Anna Bird, John R. Underhill, Dave McCarthy, Ken J. W. McCaffrey and David Selby

Remote Sens. 2023, 15(3), 695; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15030695 - 24 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2002

Abstract

Constraining the age of formation and repeated movements along fault arrays in superimposed rift basins helps us to better unravel the kinematic history as well as the role of inherited structures in basin evolution. The Inner Moray Firth Basin (IMFB, western North Sea) overlies rocks of the Caledonian basement, the pre-existing Devonian–Carboniferous Orcadian Basin, and a regionally developed Permo–Triassic North Sea basin system. IMFB rifting occurred mainly in the Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous. The rift basin then experienced further regional tilting, uplift and fault reactivation during the Cenozoic. The Devonian successions exposed onshore along the northwestern coast of IMFB and the southeastern onshore exposures of the Orcadian Basin at Sarclet preserve a variety of fault orientations and structures. Their timing and relationship to the structural development of the wider Orcadian and IMFB are poorly understood. In this study, drone airborne optical images are used to create high-resolution 3D digital outcrops. Analyses of these images are then coupled with detailed field observations and U-Pb geochronology of syn-faulting mineralised veins in order to constrain the orientations and absolute timing of fault populations and decipher the kinematic history of the area. In addition, the findings help to better identify deformation structures associated with earlier basin-forming events. This holistic approach helped identify and characterise multiple deformation events, including the Late Carboniferous inversion of Devonian rifting structures, Permian minor fracturing, Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous rifting and Cenozoic reactivation and local inversion. We were also able to isolate characteristic structures, fault kinematics, fault rock developments and associated mineralisation types related to these events Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing Perspectives of Geomorphology and Tectonic Processes)

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17 pages, 16895 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Tectonic Significances of the Geomorphic Evolution in the Southern Alashan Block to the Outward Expansion of the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau

by Tingting Ji, Wenjun Zheng, Jingjun Yang, Dongli Zhang, Shumin Liang, Yige Li, Ting Liu, Haoyu Zhou and Changhuan Feng

Remote Sens. 2022, 14(24), 6269; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14246269 - 10 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1313

Abstract

Fluvial landscapes are a result of lithospheric tectonic movement, climate evolution and surface processes. Existing evidence proves that regional tectonic deformation can be reflected by the evolution of fluvial landforms. The southern Alashan Block lies the closest to the northeastern Tibetan Plateau and has become the latest plateau outward expansion boundary. Yabrai Shan is located at the intersection of the Tibetan Plateau, Alashan and Ordos Blocks, thereby recording the evolution of the surface processes and tectonic activities in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding regions. Herein, we conducted the quantitative landform analysis and field investigations of Yabrai Shan, and the spatiotemporal distribution of geomorphological parameters indicated that Yabrai Shan is in the mature stage of geomorphological evolution controlled by tectonic activities of the Yabrai range-front fault. Based on the paleochannel reconstruction model and previous research on fault activity, two tectonic acceleration events were identified, with estimated geomorphic response times of 0.15–1.10 Ma and 1.42–2.92 Ma. Different distribution characteristics of two-phase knickpoints are caused by the change of tectonic stress in this region, revealing that the late knickpoints are the result of tectonic acceleration under the influence of the northeast expansion of the Tibetan Plateau. The transformation of Yabrai Shan from the original extensional environment affected by the Ordos Block to the compressional environment affected by the northeast expansion of the Tibetan Plateau occurred after 1.10 Ma. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing Perspectives of Geomorphology and Tectonic Processes)

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19 pages, 8813 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Automatic Identification of Liquefaction Induced by 2021 Maduo M_w7.3 Earthquake Based on Machine Learning Methods

by Peng Liang, Yueren Xu, Wenqiao Li, Yanbo Zhang and Qinjian Tian

Remote Sens. 2022, 14(21), 5595; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14215595 - 06 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1280

Abstract

Rapid extraction of liquefaction induced by strong earthquakes is helpful for earthquake intensity assessment and earthquake emergency response. Supervised classification methods are potentially more accurate and do not need pre-earthquake images. However, the current supervised classification methods depend on the precisely delineated polygons of liquefaction by manual and landcover maps. To overcome these shortcomings, this study proposed two binary classification methods (i.e., random forest and gradient boosting decision tree) based on typical samples. The proposed methods trained the two machine learning methods with different numbers of typical samples, then used the trained binary classification methods to extract the spatial distribution of liquefaction. Finally, a morphological transformation method was used for the postprocessing of the extracted liquefaction. The recognition accuracies of liquefaction were estimated by four evaluation indices, which all showed a score of about 90%. The spatial distribution of liquefaction pits is also consistent with the formation principle of liquefaction. This study demonstrates that the proposed binary classification methods based on machine learning could efficiently and quickly provide the spatial distribution of liquefaction based on post-earthquake emergency satellite images. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing Perspectives of Geomorphology and Tectonic Processes)

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18 pages, 14292 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Lineament Extraction from Digital Terrain Derivate Model: A Case Study in the Girón–Santa Isabel Basin, South Ecuador

by Michelle Del Pilar Villalta Echeverria, Ana Gabriela Viña Ortega, Erwin Larreta, Paola Romero Crespo and Maurizio Mulas

Remote Sens. 2022, 14(21), 5400; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14215400 - 28 Oct 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4901

Abstract

Geological lineaments are linear or curvilinear surfaces that are considered a superficial expression of discontinuities on the earth’s surface. The extraction of lineaments from remotely sensed satellite data is one of the most frequently used applications of remote sensing in geology. This study focuses on the semi-automatic extraction of lineaments in the Girón–Santa Isabel basin using a Topographic Position Index (TPI). The lineaments were extracted in the PCI Geomatics 2016 software and analyzed in the ArcGIS and Rockworks software. Statistical and density map analyses of the lineaments were performed; then, these results were interpreted to obtain the geological lineaments. Finally, a bibliographic verification was carried out, and structures such as faults and folds were defined. The total number of geological lineaments was 76, and 71 of them were defined as faults, the longest with a length of 33 km. It was determined that the preferential orientation of the lineaments is NE–SW, which is consistent with the axis of the Girón–Santa Isabel basin. This methodology can be useful to optimize time and reduce costs when gathering the structural information of the study area in the first stage of geological and mining prospecting or the educational field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing Perspectives of Geomorphology and Tectonic Processes)

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25 pages, 5039 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Quantitative Analysis of Tectonic Geomorphology Research Based on Web of Science from 1981 to 2021

by Zhiheng Liu, Suiping Zhou, Hang Yu, Wenjie Zhang, Fengcheng Guo, Xuemei Chen and Jianhua Guo

Remote Sens. 2022, 14(20), 5227; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14205227 - 19 Oct 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3780

Abstract

Tectonic geomorphology is an important research area that uses multisource data to quantify the landscape response induced by the interaction between the tectonic uplift and climate changes. In this study, a comprehensive and quantitative analysis using bibliometric and scientometrics based on the research areas, countries, institutions, journals, authors, keywords, and citations is carried out, which provides an exhaustive history of tectonic geomorphology, and points out the hopspots and trends in the research area. A total of 2796 papers and 110,111 references from 1981 to 2021 are collected from Science Citation Index-Expanded (SCI-E) as the main data source. The results show that with the development of remote sensing, tectonic geomorphology, and the improvement of instruments and equipment, the amount of tectonic geomorphology analysis has been increasing. The journal Geomorphology is one of the most popular journals in this field. Through the co-occurrence network analysis, 12 clusters are identified in which the most popular research hotspot in tectonic geomorphology research is how to constrain the rates of active faulting using geomorphic indices. Through literature co-citation analysis, 13 research directions are extracted in which an important trend is to investigate the response of drainage divide migration to the fault slip rates. With the help of remote sensing data, physical attributes, and contextual knowledge, the reliability of measuring uplift rates under tectonic and climate changes has been increased. A future suggestion is to use multi-source heterogeneous data fusion to conduct quantitative analysis for tectonic geomorphology research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing Perspectives of Geomorphology and Tectonic Processes)

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20 pages, 14234 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characteristics of Co-Seismic Surface Rupture of the 2021 Maduo Mw 7.4 Earthquake and Its Tectonic Implications for Northern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

by Hong Xie, Zhimin Li, Daoyang Yuan, Xianyan Wang, Qi Su, Xin Li, Aiguo Wang and Peng Su

Remote Sens. 2022, 14(17), 4154; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14174154 - 24 Aug 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1858

Abstract

A magnitude (Mw) 7.4 Maduo earthquake occurred on 22 May 2021 in the northern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, with predominantly left-lateral strike-slip faulting and a component of normal faulting within the Bayan Har Block. The co-seismic surface rupture extended in a NWW direction for ~160 km with a complicated geometry along a poorly known young fault: the Jiangcuo Fault. The main surface rupture propagated bilaterally from the epicenter and terminated eastward in horsetail splays. The main rupture can be divided into five segments with two rupture gaps. Field surveys and detailed mapping revealed that the co-seismic surface ruptures were characterized by a series of left-lateral offsets, en echelon tensional cracks and fissures, compressional mole tracks, and widespread sand liquefication. The observed co-seismic left-lateral displacements ranged from 0.2 m to ~2.6 m, while the vertical displacements ranged from 0.1 m to ~1.5 m, much lower than the InSAR inverse slip maximum of 2–6 m. Based on the comprehensive analysis of the causative fault geometry and the tectonic structure of the northern Bayan Har Block, this study suggests that the multiple NWW trending sub-faults, including the Jiangcuo Fault, developed from the East Kunlun fault northeast of the Bayan Har Block could be regarded as the sub-faults of the East Kunlun Fault system, constituting a broad and dispersive northern boundary of the Block, controlling the inner strain distribution and deformation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing Perspectives of Geomorphology and Tectonic Processes)

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13 pages, 13980 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Coseismic Rupture Model and Tectonic Implications of the January 7 2022, Menyuan Mw 6.6 Earthquake Constraints from InSAR Observations and Field Investigation

by Yongsheng Li, Wenliang Jiang, Yujiang Li, Wenhao Shen, Zhongtai He, Bingquan Li, Qiang Li, Qisong Jiao and Yunfeng Tian

Remote Sens. 2022, 14(9), 2111; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14092111 - 28 Apr 2022

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 3344

Abstract

A Mw 6.6 earthquake struck Menyuan, Qinghai, China, on 7 January 2022. To determine the rupture parameters of this event, the coseismic InSAR deformation fields were mapped and further employed to estimate the focal mechanism. The best-fitting solution emphasized that the 2022 Menyuan earthquake ruptured at the junction of the Tuolaishan fault and the Lenglongling fault. Both rupturing faults were dominated by sinistral strike-slip, and the main slip was concentrated on the shallow part of the rupture plane. The latter was the main rupture segment with a strike of 106° and a dip of 86°. The slip mainly occurred at depths of 0–8 km, and the rupture was exposed at the surface. The maximum slip reached ~3.5 m, which occurred mainly at a depth of 4 km. Joint analysis of the optimal slip model, relocated aftershocks, Coulomb stress change, and field observation suggested that the strain energy in the Tuolaishan fault may not have been fully released and needs further attention. Moreover, the 2022 Mw6.6 Menyuan earthquake caused a significant stress loading effect on the western Tuolaishan fault and eastern Lenglongling fault, which implies that the 2022 event increased the seismic hazard in these regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing Perspectives of Geomorphology and Tectonic Processes)

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