Stephen Grebby

Application of airborne LiDAR to mapping seismogenic faults in forested mountainous terrain, southeastern Alps, Slovenia

Results are presented of the first airborne LiDAR survey ever flown in Europe for the purpose of mapping the surface expression of earthquake-prone faults. Detailed topographic images derived from LiDAR data of the Idrija and Ravne strike-slip faults in NW Slovenia reveal geomorphological and structural features that shed light on the overall architecture and kinematic history of both fault systems. The 1998 Mw = 5.6, and 2004 Mw = 5.2 Ravne Fault earthquakes and the historically devastating 1511 M = 6.8 Idrija earthquake indicate that both systems pose a serious seismic hazard in the region. Because both fault systems occur within forested terrain, a tree removal algorithm was applied to the data; the resulting images reveal surface scarps and tectonic landforms in unprecedented detail. Importantly, two sites were discovered to be potentially suitable for fault trenching and palaeo-seismological analysis. This study highlights the potential contribution of LiDAR surveying in both low-relief valley terrain and high-relief mountainous terrain to a regional seismic hazard assessment programme. Geoscientists working in other tectonically active regions of the world where earthquake-prone faults are obscured by forest cover would also benefit from LiDAR maps that have been processed to remove the canopy return and reveal the forest floor topography.

Mapping long-term temporal change in imperviousness using topographic maps

Change in urban land use and impervious surface cover are valuable sources of information for determining the environmental impacts of urban development. However, our understanding of these impacts is limited due to the general lack of historical data beyond the last few decades. This study presents two methodologies for mapping and revealing long-term change in urban land use and imperviousness from topographic maps. Method 1 involves the generation of maps of fractional impervious surface for direct computation of catchment-level imperviousness. Method 2 generates maps of urban land use for subsequent computation of estimates of catchment imperviousness based on an urban extent index. Both methods are applied to estimate change in catchment imperviousness in a town in the South of England, at decadal intervals for the period 1960–2010. The performance of each method is assessed using contemporary reference data obtained from aerial photographs, with the results indicating that both methods are capable of providing good estimates of catchment imperviousness. Both methods reveal that peri-urban developments within the study area have undergone a significant expansion of impervious cover over the period 1960–2010, which is likely to have resulted in changes to the hydrological response of the previously rural areas. Overall, results of this study suggest that topographic maps provide a useful source for determining long-term change in imperviousness in the absence of suitable data, such as remotely sensed imagery. Potential applications of the two methods presented here include hydrological modelling, environmental investigations and urban planning.

Application of airborne LiDAR data and airborne multispectral imagery to structural mapping of the upper section of the Troodos ophiolite, Cyprus

Structural maps are traditionally produced by mapping features such as faults, folds, fabrics, fractures and joints in the field. However, large map areas and the spatially limited ground perspective of the field geologist can potentially increase the likelihood that not all structural features will be identified within a given area. The ability to recognise and map both local and regional structural features using high-resolution remote sensing data provides an opportunity to complement field-based mapping to help generate more comprehensive structural maps. Nonetheless, vegetation cover can adversely affect the extraction of structural information from remotely sensed data as it can mask the appearance of subtle spectral and geomorphological features that correspond to geological structures. This study investigates the utility of airborne Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) data and airborne multispectral imagery for detailed structural mapping in vegetated ophiolitic rocks and sedimentary cover of a section of the northern Troodos ophiolite, Cyprus. Visual enhancement techniques were applied to a 4-m airborne LiDAR digital terrain model and 4-m airborne multispectral imagery to assist the generation of structural lineament maps. Despite widespread vegetation cover, dykes and faults were recognisable as lineaments in both data sets, and the predominant strike trends of lineaments in all resulting maps were found to be in agreement with field-based structural data. Interestingly, prior to fieldwork, most lineaments were assumed to be faults, but were ground-verified as dykes instead, emphasising the importance of ground-truthing. Dyke and fault trends documented in this study define a pervasive structural fabric in the upper Troodos ophiolite that reflects the original sea-floor spreading history in the Larnaca graben. This structural fabric has not previously been observed in such detail and is likely to be continuous in adjacent regions under sedimentary cover. This information may be useful to future exploration efforts in the region focused on identification of structurally controlled mineral and groundwater resources. Overall, our case study highlights the efficacy of airborne LiDAR data and airborne multispectral imagery for extracting detailed and accurate structural information in hard-rock terrain to help complement field-based mapping.

Speleothem U-series constraints on scarp retreat rates and landscape evolution: an example from the Severn valley and Cotswold Hills gull-caves, UK

Modelling landscape evolution requires quantitative estimates of erosional processes. Dating erosional landscape features such as escarpments is usually difficult because of the lack of datable deposits. Some escarpments and valley margins are associated with the formation of mass-movement caves, sometimes known as ‘gull’ or ‘crevice’ caves, which are typically restricted to within 0.5 km of the valley margin or scarp edge. As in other caves, these mass-movement cavities may host speleothems. As gull-caves develop only after valley incision, uranium-series dating of speleothems within them can provide a minimum age for the timing of valley excavation and scarp formation. Here we present data from several gull-caves in the Cotswold Hills, which form the eastern flank of the Severn valley in southern England. U-series ages from these gull-caves yield estimates for both the minimum age of the Cotswold escarpment and the maximum scarp retreat rate. This is combined with data from geological modelling to propose a model for the evolution of the Severn valley and the Cotswold Hills. The data suggest that the location of the escarpment and regional topography is determined not by valley widening and scarp retreat, but by the in situ generation of relief by differential erosion.

The Impact of Vegetation on Lithological Mapping Using Airborne Multispectral Data: A Case Study for the North Troodos Region, Cyprus

Vegetation cover can affect the lithological mapping capability of space- and airborne instruments because it obscures the spectral signatures of the underlying geological substrate. Despite being widely accepted as a hindrance, few studies have explicitly demonstrated the impact vegetation can have on remote lithological mapping. Accordingly, this study comprehensively elucidates the impact of vegetation on the lithological mapping capability of airborne multispectral data in the Troodos region, Cyprus. Synthetic spectral mixtures were first used to quantify the potential impact vegetation cover might have on spectral recognition and remote mapping of different rock types. The modeled effects of green grass were apparent in the spectra of low albedo lithologies for 30%–40% fractional cover, compared to just 20% for dry grass cover. Lichen was found to obscure the spectra for 30%–50% cover, depending on the spectral contrast between bare rock and lichen cover. The subsequent impact of vegetation on the remote mapping capability is elucidated by considering the outcomes of three airborne multispectral lithological classifications alongside the spectral mixing analysis and field observations. Vegetation abundance was found to be the primary control on the inability to classify large proportions of pixels in the imagery. Matched Filtering outperformed direct spectral matching algorithms owing to its ability to partially unmix pixel spectra with vegetation abundance above the modeled limits. This study highlights that despite the limited spectral sampling and resolution of the sensor and dense, ubiquitous vegetation cover, useful lithological information can be extracted using an appropriate algorithm. Furthermore, the findings of this case study provide a useful insight to the potential capabilities and challenges faced when utilizing comparable sensors (e.g., Landsat 8, Sentinel-2, WorldView-3) to map similar types of terrain.

Non-destructive analysis of sucrose, caffeine and trigonelline on single green coffee beans by hyperspectral imaging

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is a novel technology for the food sector that enables rapid non-contact analysis of food materials. HSI was applied for the first time to whole green coffee beans, at a single seed level, for quantitative prediction of sucrose, caffeine and trigonelline content. In addition, the intra-bean distribution of coffee constituents was analysed in Arabica and Robusta coffees on a large sample set from 12 countries, using a total of 260 samples. Individual green coffee beans were scanned by reflectance HSI (980–2500 nm) and then the concentration of sucrose, caffeine and trigonelline analysed with a reference method (HPLC-MS). Quantitative prediction models were subsequently built using Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression. Large variations in sucrose, caffeine and trigonelline were found between different species and origin, but also within beans from the same batch. It was shown that estimation of sucrose content is possible for screening purposes (R2 = 0.65; prediction error of ~ 0.7% w/w coffee, with observed range of ~ 6.5%), while the performance of the PLS model was better for caffeine and trigonelline prediction (R2 = 0.85 and R2 = 0.82, respectively; prediction errors of 0.2 and 0.1%, on a range of 2.3 and 1.1% w/w coffee, respectively). The prediction error is acceptable mainly for laboratory applications, with the potential application to breeding programmes and for screening purposes for the food industry. The spatial distribution of coffee constituents was also successfully visualised for single beans and this enabled mapping of the analytes across the bean structure at single pixel level.

Hydrothermal activity recorded in post Noachian-aged impact craters on Mars

Hydrothermal systems have previously been reported in ancient Noachian and Hesperian-aged craters on Mars using CRISM but not in Amazonian-aged impact craters. However, the nakhlite meteorites do provide evidence of Amazonian hydrothermal activity. This study uses CRISM data of 144 impact craters of ≥7 km diameter and 14 smaller craters (3–7 km diameter) within terrain mapped as Amazonian to search for minerals that may have formed as a result of impact-induced hydrothermal alteration or show excavation of ancient altered crust. No evidence indicating the presence of hydrated minerals was found in the 3–7 km impact craters. Hydrated minerals were identified in three complex impact craters, located at 52.42°N, 39.86°E in the Ismenius Lacus quadrangle, at 8.93°N, 141.28°E in Elysium, and within the previously studied Stokes crater. These three craters have diameters 20 km, 62 km, and 51 km. The locations of the hydrated mineral outcrops and their associated morphology indicate that two of these three impact craters—the unnamed Ismenius Lacus Crater and Stokes Crater—possibly hosted impact-induced hydrothermal systems, as they contain alteration assemblages on their central uplifts that are not apparent in their ejecta. Chlorite and Fe serpentine are identified within alluvial fans in the central uplift and rim of the Ismenius Lacus crater, whereas Stokes crater contains a host of Fe/Mg/Al phyllosilicates. However, excavation origin cannot be precluded. Our work suggests that impact-induced hydrothermalism was rare in the Amazonian and/or that impact-induced hydrothermal alteration was not sufficiently pervasive or spatially widespread for detection by CRISM.

Rapid prediction of single green coffee bean moisture and lipid content by hyperspectral imaging

Hyperspectral imaging (1000–2500 nm) was used for rapid prediction of moisture and total lipid content in intact green coffee beans on a single bean basis. Arabica and Robusta samples from several growing locations were scanned using a “push-broom” system. Hypercubes were segmented to select single beans, and average spectra were measured for each bean. Partial Least Squares regression was used to build quantitative prediction models on single beans (n = 320–350). The models exhibited good performance and acceptable prediction errors of ∼0.28% for moisture and ∼0.89% for lipids. This study represents the first time that HSI-based quantitative prediction models have been developed for coffee, and specifically green coffee beans. In addition, this is the first attempt to build such models using single intact coffee beans. The composition variability between beans was studied, and fat and moisture distribution were visualized within individual coffee beans. This rapid, non-destructive approach could have important applications for research laboratories, breeding programmes, and for rapid screening for industry.

Supporting energy regulation by monitoring land motion on a regional and national scale: a case study of Scotland

The advent of new satellite and data processing techniques have meant that routine, operational and reliable surveys of land motion on a regional and national scale are now possible. In this paper, we apply a novel satellite remote sensing technique, the Intermittent Small Baseline Subset method, to data from a new satellite mission, Sentinel-1, and demonstrate that a wide area map of ground deformation can be generated that supports the regulation of a range of energy-related activities. The area for the demonstration is mainland Scotland (∼75,000 km2) and the land motion map required the processing of some 627 images acquired from March 2015 to April 2017. The results show that land motion is encountered almost everywhere across Scotland, dominated by subsidence over peatland areas. However, many other phenomena are also encountered including landslides and deformation associated with mining and civil engineering activities. Considering specifically Petroleum Exploration and Development Licence areas offered under the 14th Onshore Licensing Round in the UK, examples of the types of land motion are shown, including an example related to soil restoration by a wind farm. It is demonstrated that, in Scotland at least, almost all licence areas contain deformation of one form or another and, furthermore, the causes of that subsidence are dynamic and likely to be changing from year-to-year. Therefore, maps like this are likely to be of enormous use in a regulatory framework to scope out pre-existing problems in a licence area and to ensure that the correct monitoring framework is put in place once activities begin. They can also provide evidence of good practice and give assurance against litigation by third parties.

Evaluating the Use of an Object-Based Approach to Lithological Mapping in Vegetated Terrain

Remote sensing-based approaches to lithological mapping are traditionally pixel-oriented, with classification performed on either a per-pixel or sub-pixel basis with complete disregard for contextual information about neighbouring pixels. However, intra-class variability due to heterogeneous surface cover (i.e., vegetation and soil) or regional variations in mineralogy and chemical composition can result in the generation of unrealistic, generalised lithological maps that exhibit the “salt-and-pepper” artefact of spurious pixel classifications, as well as poorly defined contacts. In this study, an object-based image analysis (OBIA) approach to lithological mapping is evaluated with respect to its ability to overcome these issues by instead classifying groups of contiguous pixels (i.e., objects). Due to significant vegetation cover in the study area, the OBIA approach incorporates airborne multispectral and LiDAR data to indirectly map lithologies by exploiting associations with both topography and vegetation type. The resulting lithological maps were assessed both in terms of their thematic accuracy and ability to accurately delineate lithological contacts. The OBIA approach is found to be capable of generating maps with an overall accuracy of 73.5% through integrating spectral and topographic input variables. When compared to equivalent per-pixel classifications, the OBIA approach achieved thematic accuracy increases of up to 13.1%, whilst also reducing the “salt-and-pepper” artefact to produce more realistic maps. Furthermore, the OBIA approach was also generally capable of mapping lithological contacts more accurately. The importance of optimising the segmentation stage of the OBIA approach is also highlighted. Overall, this study clearly demonstrates the potential of OBIA for lithological mapping applications, particularly in significantly vegetated and heterogeneous terrain.