3-D Geologic Modeling from Remote Surface Information: Application to Underground Water Resources in Lebanon

摘要

Recent discoveries in Earth Sciences are mostly related to technologies allowing graphical representations of volumes. We present a way to produce mathematically and geometrically correct three-dimensional (3-D) geologic maps consisting of the volume and shape of all geologic features of a given area. The method is innovative in that it only uses surface information coming from the combination of a standard geologic map, a satellite image, and a Digital Elevation Model. It is based on a modeling algorithm that only uses surfaces calculated from scattered data points and that intersects them following a series of geologically sound rules. The major advantage of using such technology is that it provides the user with a way to quantify geology. The case study chosen to illustrate the method is the Beirut and Antelias watersheds (Lebanon), areas with relatively simple geology. The 3-D visualization and cross-sections help in the understanding of the geometrical relationship between the different geologic features, allowing the characterization of potential aquifers and the quantification of water reserves.