The 4D reconstruction of dynamic geological evolution processes for renowned geological features

Abstract

Abstract. The three-dimensional (3D) visualization of geological structures and the dynamic simulation of geological evolutionary processes are helpful when studying the formation of renowned geological features. However, most of the existing 3D modeling software is based on raster models, which are unable to generate smooth geological boundaries. This work proposes a 3D temporally dynamic (i.e., four-dimensional (4D)) modeling method using parametric functions and vector data structures, which can dynamically build geological evolutionary vector models of well-known geological features. First, we extract the typical features of different kinds of geological formations and represent them using different parameters. Next, we select appropriate parametric functions to simulate these geological formations according to the characteristics of the individual structures. Then, we design and develop 4D vector modeling software to simulate the geological evolution of these features. Finally, we simulate an area with complex geological structures and select six real-world geological features, such as the Piqiang Fault in China and the Eye of the Sahara in the Sahara Desert, as case studies. The modeling results show that a regional geological evolutionary model that contains smooth boundaries can be established within minutes using this method. This work will support studies into the formation of renowned geological features in terms of providing visualizations and will make the representation of geological processes more intuitive in 3D.