Application of digital elevation and geological data in studies of morphotectonics and relief - a case study of the sub-Cambrian peneplain in south-western Sweden

A 357 km(2) wide area in south-western Sweden is examined regarding Tertiar y morphotectonics and characteristic relief of the sub-Cambrian peneplain. The relief of the sub-Cambrian peneplain is studied in a geographical infor mation system (GIS) and geostatistical modelling is applied to digital elev ation and geological data. Linear trend surface analysis is used for the pu rpose of describing the morphotectonics of fragmented parts of the sub-Camb rian peneplain. The trend surface analysis requires digital information of outcrops, bedrock type, tectonic pattern and elevation data and it is descr ibed in the report how this information can be produced digitally. The anal ysis reveals that the sub-Cambrian peneplain is separated into fault bounde d blocks, which are arranged In a stepwise manner with blocks leaning towar ds NNW, with an inclination in the range of 0.2-0.4%. Spatial interpolation techniques, distance-weighted moving averages and tri angulation, are used on regolith thickness data from wells, to describe the relief of the Precambrian bedrock surface below the Quaternary loose depos its in the immediate contact with Cambro-Silurian cover rocks. The resultin g patterns from the interpolations of the Quaternary regolith thickness unv eil a varied relief, different from the extremely flat Precambrian surface usually described near Cambro-Silurian cover rocks in southern Sweden.