Western Kentucky University
Database of Volcanic Edifices with Emphasis on Symmetry/Asymmetry Using Shuttle Radar Topography Mission Imagery
Institution
Western Kentucky University
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
Andrew Wulff; Glen Mattioli; Pamela Jansma
Abstract
The symmetry of volcanic edifices reflects not only the dominant eruption style, but also tectonic setting, glaciation, uplift, and erosion. Edifice symmetry was examined in this project as a first parameter for cataloguing volcano type, using a database of digital topographic elevations generated by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). A database of 100 Chilean stratovolcanoes and 150 worldwide shield volcanoes has been developed and studied for variances in volcano morphology as a function of volcano type and tectonic setting as well as coalescence of volcanoes, plate motion, erosion, and last eruption. Using ENVI 4.1 geographic image analysis software and SigmaScan Pro software, SRTM images of volcanoes are analyzed for maximum elevation, geographic location and measures of the semi-major and semi-minor axes using a color saturation function. The intersection of these axes is analyzed for geographic position, elevation, and distance and direction from the maximum elevation. These metrics determine a percentage for the symmetry of the volcano from the ratio of the semi-major and semiminor axes. Future work involves the addition of other volcanoes from different tectonic settings. Databases for planetary volcanoes will be added and compared to the terrestrial database to look for analogues between the volcanoes of Earth and other volcanically active bodies in the solar system to better understand volcanic processes. The database will facilitate the generation of volcanic hazard maps, and will also move volcano data from an image-based system to a quantitative system, allowing for quicker searches of volcanoes across the globe.
Database of Volcanic Edifices with Emphasis on Symmetry/Asymmetry Using Shuttle Radar Topography Mission Imagery
The symmetry of volcanic edifices reflects not only the dominant eruption style, but also tectonic setting, glaciation, uplift, and erosion. Edifice symmetry was examined in this project as a first parameter for cataloguing volcano type, using a database of digital topographic elevations generated by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). A database of 100 Chilean stratovolcanoes and 150 worldwide shield volcanoes has been developed and studied for variances in volcano morphology as a function of volcano type and tectonic setting as well as coalescence of volcanoes, plate motion, erosion, and last eruption. Using ENVI 4.1 geographic image analysis software and SigmaScan Pro software, SRTM images of volcanoes are analyzed for maximum elevation, geographic location and measures of the semi-major and semi-minor axes using a color saturation function. The intersection of these axes is analyzed for geographic position, elevation, and distance and direction from the maximum elevation. These metrics determine a percentage for the symmetry of the volcano from the ratio of the semi-major and semiminor axes. Future work involves the addition of other volcanoes from different tectonic settings. Databases for planetary volcanoes will be added and compared to the terrestrial database to look for analogues between the volcanoes of Earth and other volcanically active bodies in the solar system to better understand volcanic processes. The database will facilitate the generation of volcanic hazard maps, and will also move volcano data from an image-based system to a quantitative system, allowing for quicker searches of volcanoes across the globe.