[Paper Review] Use of high resolution satellite images for tracking of changes in the lineament structure, caused by earthquakes

A. A. Arellano-Baeza, R. V. García+1 more|ArXiv.org|Jun 13, 2007

Earthquake Detection and Analysis40 references3 citations

TL;DR

This study uses ASTER/TERRA high-resolution multispectral satellite images to detect changes in crustal lineament systems prior to strong earthquakes (Mw ≥ 5.2). By applying the LESSA software for lineament extraction and stripe density analysis, it finds that lineament numbers and reorientation increase significantly ~1 month before major quakes—especially at convergent plate boundaries—suggesting a potential precursor signal linked to crustal stress accumulation and dilatancy.

ABSTRACT

Over the last decades strong efforts have been made to apply new spaceborn technologies to the study and possible forecast of strong earthquakes. In this study we use ASTER/TERRA multispectral satellite images for detection and analysis of changes in the system of lineaments previous to a strong earthquake. A lineament is a straight or a somewhat curved feature in an image, which it is possible to detect by a special processing of images based on directional filtering and or Hough transform. "The Lineament Extraction and Stripes Statistic Analysis" (LESSA) software package, developed by Zlatopolsy (1992, 1997). We assume that the lineaments allow to detect, at least partially, the presence ruptures in the Earths crust, and therefore enable one to follow the changes in the system of faults and fractures associated with strong earthquakes. We analysed 6 earthquakes occurred in the Pacific coast of the South America and XXX with the Richter scale magnitude >4.5. They were located in the regions with small seasonal variations and limited vegetation to facilitate the tracking of features associated with the seismic activity only. It was found that the number and orientation of lineaments changed significantly about one month before an earthquake approximately, and a few months later the system returns to its initial state. This effect increases with the earthquake magnitude, and it is much more easily detectable in case of convergent plate boundaries (for example, Nasca and South American plates). The results obtained open a possibility to develop a methodology able to evaluate the seismic risk in the regions with similar geological conditions.

Motivation & Objective

• To investigate whether changes in geological lineament systems visible in high-resolution satellite images can serve as precursors to strong earthquakes.
• To assess the feasibility of using remote sensing data for monitoring crustal stress accumulation prior to seismic events.
• To evaluate the consistency and detectability of lineament changes across diverse tectonic settings, particularly convergent boundaries.
• To develop a methodology for seismic risk assessment based on dynamic lineament evolution observed in satellite imagery.
• To validate the observed lineament changes against control areas unaffected by seismic activity.

Proposed method

• Acquisition of ASTER/TERRA multispectral satellite images (15–30 m resolution) from pre-, co-, and post-earthquake periods.
• Application of the LESSA software package (Zlatopolsky, 1992, 1997) for lineament extraction using directional filtering and Hough transform techniques.
• Computation of stripe density fields via convolution with circular masks, followed by residual analysis to detect reorientation patterns.
• Generation of rose diagrams and Radon transforms to quantify changes in lineament orientation and density over time.
• Comparison of lineament dynamics in earthquake-affected zones with those in reference areas located hundreds of kilometers away.
• Use of image thresholding (set at 120 in this study) to optimize lineament detection and reduce noise.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 Can changes in lineament systems detected via satellite imagery serve as reliable precursors to strong earthquakes?
• RQ2 How do the number and orientation of lineaments evolve in the month preceding a major seismic event?
• RQ3 To what extent do lineament changes correlate with earthquake magnitude and tectonic setting, particularly at convergent plate boundaries?
• RQ4 Are the observed lineament variations statistically significant compared to background noise or non-seismic regions?
• RQ5 Can stripe density field residuals provide additional evidence for crustal dilatancy prior to rupture?

Key findings

• A significant increase in the number of lineaments was observed approximately one month before strong earthquakes (Mw ≥ 5.2), with the effect being most pronounced in regions near convergent plate boundaries.
• Lineament reorientation, as indicated by stripe density field residuals and Radon transform analysis, suggests a dynamic response linked to crustal stress accumulation and dilatancy processes.
• The lineament system gradually returned to its initial configuration about one month after the earthquake, indicating a transient pre-seismic signal.
• No significant lineament changes were detected in control areas located hundreds of kilometers from the epicenters, confirming the localized nature of the observed phenomena.
• The magnitude of the earthquake correlated with the intensity of the lineament changes, with larger quakes producing more detectable and widespread pre-seismic signals.
• The use of ASTER images (15–30 m resolution) enabled detection of crustal-scale structural changes despite the fact that surface deformations are typically on the order of centimeters.