Trend analysis and its tectonic implications using digital bathymetric data

Abstract

Quantitative and objective trend analysis of bottom topography in order to detect the tectonic structures has become available by use of the processed Seabeam data. The following two procedures of trend analysis are introduced.

(1) Edge detection procedures in digital image processing are applicable to the analysis of topography for extraction of the lineament of tectonic structures and prediction of the existence of faults based on the digital bathymetric data.

(2) Automatic calculation of water flow using the topographic grid data is used for estimation of not only water flow pattern and volume but also the construction of the ridge or trough axis by calculating the accumulated water volume. This method was also applied to the Seabeam bathymetric data. This is quite useful for detection of offset structures and hidden faults.

These two methods are applied to the topographic data obtained in the North Fiji Basin, which is characterized by active spreading ridges. The regional tectonic structure of the North Fiji Basin was found to be expressed by the topographic trend of the central axis.