Theses and Dissertations
Advisor
Skarke, Adam
Committee Member
Meng, Qingmin
Committee Member
Lalk, Sarah
Date of Degree
5-15-2026
Original embargo terms
Immediate Worldwide Access
Document Type
Graduate Thesis - Open Access
Major
Geoscience
Degree Name
Master of Science (M.S.)
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Department of Geosciences
Abstract
High-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) are widely available for terrestrial planetary bodies, but subsurface structural data remain limited. This research evaluated whether surface geomorphology could predict subsurface features, specifically faults and methane seeps, along the US Atlantic continental margin as an analog site. Faults were mapped with seismic interpretation and compared with quantitative geomorphic classifications derived from 100-m bathymetry including slope, aspect, rugosity, bathymetric position index, and geomorphon classes. Maximum-entropy modelling was used to predict fault occurrences from surface data. Results indicated that specific geomorphic landforms and slopes had the strongest control on fault presence, reflected in topographic expression of fault traces. Incorporating mapped faults into methane seep prediction improved model performance, furthering the idea of fault planes acting as permeable pathways for subsurface methane migration. The model was applied to Mars and displayed spatial coherence, supporting the use of geomorphic variables for predicting structural features in terrestrial planetary settings.
Sponsorship (Optional)
Mississippi Space Grant Consortium (MSSGC)
Recommended Citation
Stiles, Andrea Caitlyn, "Evaluating the spatial relationship between geomorphology and subsurface structures on the US Atlantic margin with applications to other terrestrial planets" (2026). Theses and Dissertations. 6985.
https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td/6985
