• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.175-195
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• 1998

Automatic lineament extraction algorithms had been developed by various researches for geological purpose using remotely sensed data. However, most of them are designed for a certain topographic model, for instance rugged mountainous region or flat basin. Most of common topographic characteristic in Korea is a mountainous region along with alluvial plain, and consequently it is difficult to apply previous algorithms directly to this area. A new algorithm of automatic lineament extraction from remotely sensed images is developed in this study specifically for geological applications. An algorithm, named as DSTA(Dynamic Segment Tracing Algorithm), is developed to produce binary image composed of linear component and non-linear component. The proposed algorithm effectively reduces the look direction bias associated with sun's azimuth angle and the noise in the low contrast region by utilizing a dynamic sub window. This algorithm can successfully accomodate lineaments in the alluvial plain as well as mountainous region. Two additional algorithms for estimating the individual lineament vector, named as ALEHHT(Automatic Lineament Extraction by Hierarchical Hough Transform) and ALEGHT(Automatic Lineament Extraction by Generalized Hough Transform) which are merging operation steps through the Hierarchical Hough transform and Generalized Hough transform respectively, are also developed to generate geological lineaments. The merging operation proposed in this study is consisted of three parameters: the angle between two lines($\delta$$\beta$), the perpendicular distance($(d_ij)$), and the distance between midpoints of lines(dn). The test result of the developed algorithm using Landsat TM image demonstrates that lineaments in alluvial plain as well as in rugged mountain is extremely well extracted. Even the lineaments parallel to sun's azimuth angle are also well detected by this approach. Further study is, however, required to accommodate the effect of quantization interval(droh) parameter in ALEGHT for optimization.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 2003

The lineament extraction from satellite images is important in the geologic studies including groundwater and mineral exploration, groundwater survey, natural hazard analysis, and many others. The lineaments in remote sensing images are identified by the difference of pixel values or brightness. Since the visual interpretation is apt to be influenced by the knowledges and experiences, many of the automatic lineament detection algorithms are developed to ensure the objectives and efficient outputs. DSTA (dynamic segment tracing algorithm) is one of such algorithms, which can be applied to not only mountainous area but also alluvial area. However, when the alluvial area is wider than mountain region, somewhat severe noises are generated. To reduce such noises, AERA (alluvial effect reducing algorithm) is proposed and tested for the image which contains mountains, cultivated land and urban area. Upon the application of AERA, alluvial effects in lineament extraction from satellite image are substantially reduced.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.69-84
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to extract lineaments in the southeastern part of the Gaeum Fault System, and to understand their characteristics and a relationship between them and fault activation. The lineaments were extracted using a multi-layered analysis based on a digital elevation model (5 m resolution), aerial photos, and satellite images. First-grade lineaments inferred as an high-activity along them were classified based on the displacement of the Quaternary deposits and the distribution of fault-related landforms. The results of classifying the first-grade lineaments were verified by fieldwork and electrical resistivity survey. In the study area of 510 km², a total of 222 lineaments was identified, and their total length was 333.4 km. Six grade lineaments were identified, and their total length was 11.2 km. The lineaments showed high-density distribution in the region along the Geumcheon, Gaeum, Ubo fault, and a boundary of the Hwasan cauldron consisting the Gaeum Fault System. They generally have WNW-ESE trend, which is the same direction with the strike of Gaeum Fault System. Electrical resistivity survey was conducted on eight survey lines crossing the first-grade lineament. A low-resistivity zone, which is assumed to be a fault damage zone, has been identified across almost all survey lines (except for only one survey line). The visual (naked eyes) detecting of the lineament was evaluated to be less objectivity than the automatic extraction using the algorithm. However, the results of electrical resistivity survey showed that first-grade lineament extracted by visual detecting was 83% reliable for inferred fault detection. These results showed that objective visual detection results can be derived from multi-layered analysis based on tectonic geomorphology.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.439-450
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• 2018

The lineament is a linear or curved terrain element to discriminate adjacent geological structures in each other. It has been widely used for analysis of geology, mineral exploration, natural disasters, and earthquake, etc. In the past, the lineament has been extracted using cartographic map or field survey. However, it is possible to extract more efficiently the lineament for a very wide area thanks to development of remote sensing technique. Remotely sensed observation by aircraft, satellite, or digital elevation model (DEM) has been used for visual recognition for manual lineament extraction. Automatic approaches using computer science have been proposed to extract lineament more objectively. In this study, we evaluate the characteristics of lineament which is automatically extracted with respect to difference of spatial resolution of DEM. We utilized two types of DEM: one is Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) with spatial resolution of about 90 m (3 arc sec), and the other is the latest world DEM of TerraSAR-X add-on for Global DEM with 12 m spatial resolution. In addition, a global DEM was resampled to produce a DEM with a spatial resolution of 30 m (1 arc sec). The shaded relief map was constructed considering various sun elevation and solar azimuth angle. In order to extract lineament automatically, we used the LINE module in PCI Geomatica software. We found that predominant direction of the extracted lineament is about $N15-25^{\circ}E$ (NNE), regardless of spatial resolution of DEM. However, more fine and detailed lineament were extracted using higher spatial resolution of DEM. The result shows that the lineament density is proportional to the spatial resolution of DEM. Thus, the DEM with appropriate spatial resolution should be selected according to the purpose of the study.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.19-31
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• 1999

In this study, we have estimated lineaments in the Euiseong area, Kyungbuk Province, from Landsat TM by applying the algorithm developed by Kim and Won et al. which can effectively reduce the look direction bias associated with the Sun's azimuth angle. Fratures over the study area were also mapped in the field at 57 selected sites to compare them with the results from the satellite image. The trends of lineaments estimated from the Landsat TM images are characterized as $N50^{\circ}$~70W, NS~$N10^{\circ}$W, and $N10^{\circ}$~$60^{\circ}$E trends. The spatial distribution of lineaments is also studied using a circular grid, and the results show that the area can be divided into two domains : domain A in which NS~$N20^{\circ}$E direction is dominant, and domain B in which west-north-west direction is prominent. The trends of lineaments can also be classified into seven groups. Among them, only C, D and G trends are found to be dominant based upon Donnelly's nearest neighbor analysis and correlations of lineament desities. In the color composite image produced by overlaying the lineament density map of these C-, D-, and G-trends, G-trend is shown to be developed in the whole study area while the eastern part of the area is dominated by D-trend. C-trend develops extensively over the whole are except the southeastern part. The orientation of fractures measured at 35 points in the field shows major trends of NS~$N30^{\circ}$E, $N50^{\circ}$~$80^{\circ}$W, and N80$^{\circ}$E~EW, which agree relatively well with the lineaments estimated form the satellite image. The rose diagram analysis fo field data shows that WNW-ESE trending discontinuities are developed in the whole area while discontinuities of NS~$N20^{\circ}$E are develped only in the estern part, which also coincide with the result from the satellite image. The combined results of lineaments from the satellite image and fracture orientation of field data at 22 points including 18 minor faults in Sindong Group imply that the WNW-ESE trend is so prominent that Gumchun and Gaum faults are possibly extended up to the lower Sindong Group in the study area.