Mentor: Brian Currie, Ph.D.

Determining the thickness of sedimentary strata has traditionally been accomplished by stratigraphic section measuring in the field. With the widespread availability of satellite imagery and LiDAR-generated digital-elevation models, stratigraphic thickness measurements can now be made remotely. This study was conducted to provide a comparison between field-measured stratigraphic thicknesses of remotely determined thicknesses generated using the Geologic Map Data Extractor (GMDE) computer application. The investigation focused on previously measured thicknesses of the Jurassic Curtis and Summerville formations outcropping in the San Rafael Swell region of central Utah and utilized publicly available satellite imagery in conjunction with a 1-m resolution Digital Elevation Model of the study area. A total of 11 field-measured stratigraphic sections were compared with 14 stratigraphic sections created using GMDE. Study results indicate a close correspondence between the field- and GMDE-measured sections when factoring in for elevation differences. Thickness differences between the GMDE generated sections and those measured in the field ranged from 1.3 to 39 meters (mean of 20 m). Overall, the percent-difference between the techniques ranged from 2.3% to 59% (mean of 23%). The methodologies used in this investigation can provide a mechanism to check the validity of previous field stratigraphic studies and can also be a predictive tool for future field-based stratigraphic investigations.