the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
The 4D Reconstruction of Dynamic Geologic Processes for Renowned Geologic Features
Zhibin Liu
Xulei Wang
Shanjun Liu
Yunqiang Li
Abstract. The three-dimensional (3D) visualization of geological structures and the dynamic simulation of geologic evolutionary processes are helpful when studying the formation of renowned geologic features. However, most of the existing 3D modelling software is based on raster models, which is unable to generate smooth geologic boundaries. This work proposes a three-dimensional and temporally dynamic (i.e., 4D) modelling method using parametric functions and vector data structures, which can dynamically build geologic evolutionary vector models of well-known geologic features. First, we extract the typical features of different kinds of geologic formations and represent them using different parameters. Next, appropriate parametric functions are selected to simulate these geologic formations according to the characteristics of the individual structures. Then, we designed and developed a 4D vector modelling software to simulate the geologic evolution of these features. Finally, we simulated an area with complex geologic structures and selected six real-world geologic features, such as the Piqiang Fault in China and the Eye of the Sahara in the Sahara Desert, as case studies. The modelling results show that a regional geologic evolutionary model that contains smooth boundaries can be established quickly using this method. This work will support studies into the formation of these renowned geological features and make the representation of geologic processes more intuitive.
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Jiateng Guo et al.
Status: open (extended)
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RC1: 'Comment on gmd-2023-1', Anonymous Referee #1, 08 May 2023
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The study of Guo et al. proposes a modelling method that simulates three-dimensional and temporally dynamic (i.e., 4D) evolution of well-known geologic features, using parametric functions and vector data structures. The description of the geological features, as well as the method used for the model’s implementation, is very clear. I think that this will become soon a valid tool to understand the structural evolution of the geological features. Concerning the simulation of the tectonic processes of typical geological features (section 4.2), I would ask the authors to add some references that can support the evolution described in the paper (it was not done in all cases).
Citation: https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2023-1-RC1 -
AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Jiateng Guo, 24 May 2023
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We appreciate your helpful and constructive comments. We give our response below. Note that we will upload our revised manuscript after we address all referees’ comments. Thus we have answered your comments by describing how we revised the manuscript.
For the evolutionary process analysis part in the second paragraph of Section 4.2, we have more carefully reviewed the relevant materials, revised the relevant expressions and added references to the papers. Examples (a), (b), (c), and (e) are now supported by relevant papers. However, examples (d) and (f) are not as well-known as the other examples, and we still cannot find papers on the evolutionary process of this relic, so we can only study the evolutionary process of these two examples from the perspective of the evolutionary process of typical tectonic types. We know that (d) and (f) are typical angular unconformity and magmatic vein unconformity according to the descriptions on the source website and Wikipedia, so we conducted experiments on (d) and (f) according to the evolution of these two types of structures. Below is the anticipated revision:
“(a) The Piqiang Fault is on the northwest side of the Bachu Fault Zone and is connected to the Bachu Uplift in the south. Because of the uplift in the south, the stratigraphy of the area shown tends to dip to the north of the strike-slip fault (Turner et al., 2011). (b) This is a partial fold, but with erosion of relatively weak parts on both sides. The harder sandstone in the interior being cut into the ridge while the weaker shale around it is eroded (Bellahsen et al., 2005). (c) According to the description of the source, it is an igneous intrusion cut by a pegmatite dyke, which in turn is cut by a dolerite dyke, and that stratigraphic tilting occurred before the intrusion began. (d) Is a typical angular unconformity that began when the underlying strata were formed, which were then folded by crustal movement before finally being eroded and redeposited to form the overlying new strata. (e) This feature is a symmetrical and deeply eroded geodome. The circular distribution of ridges and valleys is interpreted to have been formed by differential erosion of alternating hard and soft rock layers uplifted as a dome by underlying Cretaceous alkaline igneous complexes (Matton et al., 2005). (f) This feature was formed by the superposition of a dike and an unconformity; the dike occurred first, according to the image, and then the unconformity followed.”
Citation: https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2023-1-AC1
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AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Jiateng Guo, 24 May 2023
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Jiateng Guo et al.
Data sets
The 4D Reconstruction of Dynamic Geologic Processes for Renowned Geologic Features Jiateng Guo and Zhibin Liu https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7498592
Model code and software
The 4D Reconstruction of Dynamic Geologic Processes for Renowned Geologic Features Jiateng Guo and Zhibin Liu https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7498592
Video supplement
The 4D Reconstruction of Dynamic Geologic Processes for Renowned Geologic Features Jiateng Guo and Zhibin Liu https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ngbflE0WRhuQAby_n0EJwHJBLbAjJG7z/view?usp=sharing
Jiateng Guo et al.
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