3D Geological Modelling of the Middle Proterozoic stratigraphy, Belcher Islands: Integration of ASTER imagery and SRTM Topography

Regional scale geological maps are still not available for many remote parts of the Earth. All geological maps contain two fundamental pieces of information: a) lithological data: a list of the various rock types present, and b) structural data: geometrical information that describes the spatial relationships of the various rock units. For the purposes of regional scale geological mapping the short wavelength infrared bands of the ASTER satellite are capable of differentiating between some rock units typical of Precambrian terrane (red beds, volcanics and carbonates). Applying edge detection routines to ASTER images provides a lithological map. Integrating this lithological information with topographic contour data provided by the Space Shuttle SRTM mission provides access to structural geometry information. Combining both lithological and geometrical data in a “Common Earth Model” leads a complete geological map compilation. ASTER and SRTM data from over Middle Proterozoic rocks exposed on the Belcher Islands, Hudson Bay, provides an example of this methodology.