Lineament Extraction from DEM Using Raindrop Tracing Algorithm

Lineament extraction from mountain area often provides valuable geological information. In many cases, the lineaments correspond to a series of continuous large valleys. This paper introduces a new lineament extraction method from Digital Elevation Model (DEM) using Raindrop Tracing Algorithm (RTA). The main advantage of this algorithm over conventional Segment Tracing Algorithm (STA) is that it utilizes DEM directly unlike the STA Which utilizes the shaded relief of DEM. The RTA simulates the real life of raindrops that converge into a large valley. The simulation has been done by sprinkling the randomized raindrops over DEM and counting the number of raindrop path that follows the negative gradient of the DEM. The large counting number indicates the location of a big valley where the raindrops converge. With the help of the counting number array (accumulator array) recording the flowing path information, RTA can produce perfectly unbiased binary image of the lineament.