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Integration of Remote Sensing and Airborne Geophysical Methods in Geological Studies

A special issue of Remote Sensing (ISSN 2072-4292). This special issue belongs to the section "Remote Sensing in Geology, Geomorphology and Hydrology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 June 2024 | Viewed by 7926

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Remote sensing systems collect digital measurements that can be processed, analyzed, and interpreted using computer techniques, and which can be easily incorporated into geographic information system databases. Remote sensing imagery has been considered a cost-efficient means to compile regional geological maps and trace along the strike of extensive geological structures. Airborne geophysical techniques such as gamma-ray spectrometry and aeromagnetic data have also been used to map geological rocks and structures, particularly those with distinctive geophysical characteristics. Applications of remote sensing measurements made from aircraft and satellites in the visible, near-infrared, thermal infrared, and microwave (radar) zones of the electromagnetic spectrum to the detection of iron-rich and hydrothermal alteration zones are well documented in the literature. The information derived from these studies includes both compositional information based on physical properties (spectral reflectance, thermal emissivity, etc.) and spatial information describing surface characteristics (landforms, drainage network, etc.).

The exploration of mineral deposits requires complimentary geophysical surveys integrated with geochemical and geologic insight. Some geophysical methods, such as gamma-ray spectrometry and remote sensing, measure surface attributes; others, such as thermal methods and some electrical methods, are limited to detecting relatively shallow features, but may help implicit features at greater depth.

We are delighted to invite you to submit your novel research results for publication in this Special Issue. Your paper will be part of a gathering of high-quality research highlights that will be extensively read and cited.  

To date, there has been little common ground between geophysical signs of concealed structures and geological bodies together with surface geology data obtained by remote sensing. Nonetheless, cost-justified systems affordable by most junior exploration companies now provide the possibility of implementing geographic information systems adequate for overlaying data sets of different origins—remote sensing, geophysical methods (gravity, magnetic, radiometric and electromagnetic surveys), geochemical surveys—and conveniently integrating their interpretation. Frontier areas of exploration often lack comprehensive geological maps, and the advantages of integrating satellite imagery with geophysical and geochemical surveys can provide information pertinent to the recognition and characterization of mineral deposits.

This Special Issue offers the opportunity to publish novel research that uses space-borne- and airborne-derived data with airborne-derived geophysical data to target important geological structures and potential lithologic units.

  • Regular research papers, case studies and short letters to the Editor will be considered for publications in this Special Issue.
  • Contributions may include remote sensing studies, advancing remote sensing sensors and processing techniques, and fusions of geophysical and remote sensing data.
  • Submissions seen by reviewers and editors as excellent contributions will be accepted as fully waived papers. 

Prof. Dr. Basem Zoheir
Prof. Dr. Ashraf Emam
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Remote Sensing is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • multispectral and radar satellite data
  • airborne geophysical data
  • novel and innovative processing techniques
  • geophysical anomalies and orebodies
  • applications to mineral exploration

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 3419 KiB  
Article
Improved Approaches for 3D Gravity and Gradient Imaging Based on Potential Field Separation: Application to the Magma Chamber in Wudalianchi Volcanic Field, Northeastern China
by Weikai Li, Meng Yang, Wei Feng and Min Zhong
Remote Sens. 2024, 16(7), 1187; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16071187 - 28 Mar 2024
Viewed by 87
Abstract
The gravity and gradient anomalies contain valuable information about the underground geological structures at various depths. Deep and shallow buried source bodies are able to be identified through multi-scale field separation processes, and visual comprehensions of geological structures can be obtained via 3D [...] Read more.
The gravity and gradient anomalies contain valuable information about the underground geological structures at various depths. Deep and shallow buried source bodies are able to be identified through multi-scale field separation processes, and visual comprehensions of geological structures can be obtained via 3D density inversion techniques. In this study, we propose an improved 3D imaging strategy based on gravitational field separation using the preferential continuation filter. This strategy incorporates the relationship between spectral features and buried depths of source bodies, allowing for a one-step transformation from planar gravity and full-tensor gradient field observations to a 3D density structure in the wave-number domain. Synthetic tests validate the effectiveness and robustness of the gravity and gradient imaging approaches, highlighting their advantages in high vertical resolution and low computational requirements. Nonetheless, it should be noted that the imaging effects of horizontal gradients Γxx and Γyy are unsatisfactory due to their weak noise resistance. Thus, they are not suitable for real data applications. The other imaging approaches are further applied to recover the subsurface 3D density structure beneath the Weishan cone in Wudalianchi Volcanic Field, Northeastern China. Our results provide insights into the possible location and shape of the low-density magma chamber. Also, the potential presence of partial melts is inferred and supported from a gravity perspective. The primary advantage of these approaches is their ability to generate a reasonable geological model in scenarios with limited prior information and physical property constraints. As a result, they have significant practical value in the field of applied geophysics, including mineral exploration and volcanology studies. Full article
46 pages, 126673 KiB  
Article
Multisensor Satellite Data and Field Studies for Unravelling the Structural Evolution and Gold Metallogeny of the Gerf Ophiolitic Nappe, Eastern Desert, Egypt
by Mohamed Abd El-Wahed, Samir Kamh, Mohamed Abu Anbar, Basem Zoheir, Mohamed Hamdy, Abdelaziz Abdeldayem, El Metwally Lebda and Mohamed Attia
Remote Sens. 2023, 15(8), 1974; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15081974 - 08 Apr 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2600
Abstract
The gold mineralization located in the southern Eastern Desert of Egypt mostly occurs in characteristic geologic and structural settings. The gold-bearing quartz veins and the alteration zones are confined to the ductile shear zones between the highly deformed ophiolitic blocks, sheared metavolcanics, and [...] Read more.
The gold mineralization located in the southern Eastern Desert of Egypt mostly occurs in characteristic geologic and structural settings. The gold-bearing quartz veins and the alteration zones are confined to the ductile shear zones between the highly deformed ophiolitic blocks, sheared metavolcanics, and gabbro-diorite rocks. The present study attempts to integrate multisensor remotely sensed data, structural analysis, and field investigation in unraveling the geologic and structural controls of gold mineralization in the Gabal Gerf area. Multispectral optical sensors of Landsat-8 OLI/TIRS (L8) and Sentinel-2B (S2B) were processed to map the lithologic rock units in the study area. Image processing algorithms including false color composite (FCC), band ratio (BR), principal component analysis (PCA), minimum noise fraction (MNF), and Maximum Likelihood Classifier (MLC) were effective in producing a comprehensive geologic map of the area. The mafic index (MI) = (B13-0.9147) × (B10-1.4366) of ASTER (A) thermal bands and a combined band ratio of S2B and ASTER of (S2B3+A9)/(S2B12+A8) were dramatically successful in discriminating the ophiolitic assemblage, that are considered the favorable lithology for the gold mineralization. Three alteration zones of argillic, phyllic and propylitic were spatially recognized using the mineral indices and constrained energy minimization (CEM) approach to ASTER data. The datasets of ALSO PALSAR and Sentinel-1B were subjected to PCA and filtering to extract the lineaments and their spatial densities in the area. Furthermore, the structural analysis revealed that the area has been subjected to three main phases of deformation; (i) NE-SW convergence and sinistral transpression (D2); (ii) ~E-W far field compressional regime (D3), and (iii) extensional tectonics and terrane exhumation (D4). The gold-bearing quartz veins in several occurrences are controlled by D2 and D3 shear zones that cut heterogeneously deformed serpentinites, sheared metavolcanic rocks and gabbro-diorite intrusions. The information extracted from remotely sensed data, structural interpretation and fieldwork were used to produce a gold mineralization potential zones map which was verified by reference and field observations. The present study demonstrates the remote sensing capabilities for the identification of alteration zones and structural controls of the gold mineralization in highly deformed ophiolitic regions. Full article
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20 pages, 12919 KiB  
Article
A Slope Structural Plane Extraction Method Based on Geo-AINet Ensemble Learning with UAV Images
by Rongchun Zhang, Shang Shi, Xuefeng Yi, Lanfa Liu, Chenyang Zhang, Meiru Jing and Junhui Li
Remote Sens. 2023, 15(5), 1441; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15051441 - 04 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1167
Abstract
In the construction of large-scale water conservancy and hydropower transportation projects, the rock mass structural information is often used to evaluate and analyze various engineering geological problems such as high and steep slope stability, dam abutment stability, and natural rock landslide geological disasters. [...] Read more.
In the construction of large-scale water conservancy and hydropower transportation projects, the rock mass structural information is often used to evaluate and analyze various engineering geological problems such as high and steep slope stability, dam abutment stability, and natural rock landslide geological disasters. The complex shape and extremely irregular distribution of the structural planes make it challenging to identify and extract automatically. This study proposes a method for extracting structural planes from UAV images based on Geo-AINet ensemble learning. The UAV images of the slope are first used to generate a dense point cloud through a pipeline of SfM and PMVS; then, the multiple geological semantics, including color and texture from the image and local geological occurrence and surface roughness from the dense point cloud, are integrated with Geo-AINet for ensemble learning to obtain a set of semantic blocks; finally, the accurate extraction of structural planes is achieved through a multi-semantic hierarchical clustering strategy. Experimental results show that the structural planes extracted by the proposed method perform better integrity and edge adherence than that extracted by the AINet algorithm. In comparison with the results from the laser point cloud, the geological occurrence differences are less than three degrees, which proves the reliability of the results. This study widens the scope for surveying and mapping using remote sensing in engineering geological applications. Full article
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22 pages, 9084 KiB  
Article
SAM-HIT: A Simulated Annealing Multispectral to Hyperspectral Imagery Data Transformation
by Ali Mohamed, Ashraf Emam and Basem Zoheir
Remote Sens. 2023, 15(4), 1154; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15041154 - 20 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1332
Abstract
Space-borne hyperspectral imagery data are known for their high spectral resolution in a number of narrow wavelength intervals, which makes these data useful for mineral mapping. However, the available free-of-charge hyperspectral scenes cover only narrow and scattered geographic areas. In contrast, multispectral imagery [...] Read more.
Space-borne hyperspectral imagery data are known for their high spectral resolution in a number of narrow wavelength intervals, which makes these data useful for mineral mapping. However, the available free-of-charge hyperspectral scenes cover only narrow and scattered geographic areas. In contrast, multispectral imagery scenes have a nearly complete spatial coverage and wider wavelength intervals. The low spectral resolution of the multispectral data, however, limits their efficiency in the mineral mapping of small geological massifs or hydrothermal alteration halos. The present contribution presents a new transformation tool (SAM-HIT) to simulate the hyperspectral sensor responses in unscanned areas based on partially overlapping hyperspectral and multispectral scenes. Simulation or prediction of the pseudohyperspectral data is here accomplished by using the simulated annealing linear optimization algorithm, which allows the lowest possible mismatch between the original and predicted data. The high visual and numerical correlation of the resultant data confirms the reliability of the newly adopted transformation. Further, the application of the SAM-HIT to a well-exposed part of the Egyptian basement complex with available hyperspectral data showed high concordance and nearly identical band signatures, opening a new outlook for mineral exploration in vast areas by a nearly automated cost-free means. Full article
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16 pages, 4263 KiB  
Article
A New Magnetic Target Localization Method Based on Two-Point Magnetic Gradient Tensor
by Gaigai Liu, Yingzi Zhang, Chen Wang, Qiang Li, Fei Li and Wenyi Liu
Remote Sens. 2022, 14(23), 6088; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14236088 - 30 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1702
Abstract
The existing magnetic target localization methods are greatly affected by the geomagnetic field and exist approximation errors. In this paper, a two-point magnetic gradient tensor localization model is established by using the spatial relation between the magnetic target and the observation points derived [...] Read more.
The existing magnetic target localization methods are greatly affected by the geomagnetic field and exist approximation errors. In this paper, a two-point magnetic gradient tensor localization model is established by using the spatial relation between the magnetic target and the observation points derived from magnetic gradient tensor and tensor invariants. Based on the model, the equations relating to the position vector of magnetic target are constructed. Solving the equations, a new magnetic target localization method using only a two-point magnetic gradient tensor and no approximation errors is achieved. To accurately evaluate the localization accuracy of the method, a circular trajectory that varies in all three directions is proposed. Simulation results show that the proposed method is almost error-free in the absence of noise. After adding noise, the maximum relative error percentage is reduced by 28.4% and 2.21% compared with the single-point method and the other two-point method, respectively. Furthermore, the proposed method is not affected by the variation in the distance between two observation points. At a detection distance of 20 m, the maximum localization error is 1.86 m. In addition, the experiments also verify that the new method can avoid the influence of the geomagnetic field and the variation in the distance, and achieve high localization accuracy. The average relative error percentage in the y-direction is as low as 3.78%. Full article
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