Self-affinity dimensions of topography and its implications in morphotectonics: an example from Taiwan

This paper discusses the self-affinity dimensions of landscape surfaces at a short-range scale and the link to morphotectonic features of the young orogenic belts of Taiwan. The variogram method is adopted to estimate such parameters as the fractal dimension (D), the ordinate-intercept (γ) and the range (R) from data subsets of the digital elevation model (DEM) in a moving-window operation. The fractal morphology expressed by D and γ is found to be useful in defining geomorphic provinces that are related to tectonic features. The mountainous terrain is characterized by high gamma values and low fractal dimensions in contrast to the coastal plains where low gamma values and high fractal dimensions are found. A zone, defined by the fractal parameters (2.4<D<2.6 and 0<γ<2.4), is found to coincide with the most tectonically active zone of Taiwan. Active faults often occur at the boundary between landscapes with contrasting fractal patterns. In the flat lowlands along the western coast, the fractal morphology displays a west-facing amphitheatric pattern, which may be related to the indentation of the pre-Miocene Peikang Basement High. The fractal morphology may reflect some subtle changes in surface textures of a landscape sculpted by surface processes, which in turn are influenced by tectonic activities. The surface roughening and diffusive smoothing may concur to shape the landscape surface at the short ranges we discuss in this study.