Laser scans reveal ‘hidden’ active faults in Yellowstone

A series of “hidden” geological hazards has been uncovered in the northern reaches of Yellowstone National Park, including active faults that could pose earthquake threats to communities in the area.

A series of “hidden” geological hazards has been uncovered in the northern reaches of Yellowstone National Park, including active faults that could pose earthquake threats to communities in the area.

The faults were revealed with what’s known as light detection and ranging, or lidar, a type of remote sensing that can pierce through dense foliage and detect concealed features on the ground in detail. The technology has found wide use across a range of scientific fields, from archaeology to geology, as a way to study landscapes that are normally obscured or inaccessible to humans.

“In the last 10 to 15 years, it has been almost a lidar revolution,” said Yann Gavillot, a research geologist with the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology.

Lidar works by using laser sensors mounted on airplanes or drones to bounce pulses of light off surfaces to detect features and map their contours.

Fault scarps in Paradise Valley, Mont.Yann Gavillot, MBMG / via Yellowstone Volcano ObservatoryGavillot, who is also an associate professor at Montana Technological University, said lidar has enhanced what scientists can see with both aerial photography and people on the ground. Laser-scanning tech instead offers something akin to X-ray vision, allowing researchers to spot land deformation and other telltale signs of hidden geological hazards.