LIDAR-BASED DELINEATION OF KARST FEATURES IN THE GYPSUM PLAIN, EDDY COUNTY, NEW MEXICO AND CULBERSON COUNTY, TEXAS

<p>The Gypsum Plain of the Delaware Basin encompasses approximately 1,800 km² of massive to laminated gypsum (anhydrite in the subsurface) outcrop of early Ochoan Castile and Salado strata. These extensive Permian-age evaporites host significant karst phenomena as a result of the region's complex hydrogeologic system which has continuously evolved since the early Paleogene. Karst features that manifest surficially as sinkholes when breached range from extensive hypogene cave systems to epigene features and suffosion caves. In contrast, paleo-collapse structures forming breccia pipes attesting to more ancient karst within these strata often manifest as topographic highs across the Gypsum Plain.</p> <p>Until recently, the lack of accessible, high-resolution LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) data has restricted karst studies on the distribution and speleogenetic evolution of the entire Gypsum Plain to imagery analyses. In this study, high-resolution (70-centimeter accuracy) LiDAR data analyses were used to assess the spatial extent of major surficial karst manifestations through constructed Digital Elevation Models (DEMs). DEM analyses were used to delineate sinkhole features, while sinkhole morphometrics analyses was used to infer origins; high sphericity suggests collapse origins and low sphericity suggests solutional incision origins. After GIS-based verification, spatial sinkhole analyses were refined to produce a spatial density map of surficial karst manifestations across the Gypsum Plain. This includes the delineation of regions dominated by hypogene or epigene karst origins, as inferred from sinkhole morphometric analyses.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science - Geology

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Geology

Year dc:date.available

2025

Author dc:creator

• Levassar, Kaitlyn Rae

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Wesley Brown
• Dr. Melinda Faulkner
• Dr. Zachariah Fleming

• Karst
• GIS
• Lidar
• Evaporites
• Sinkholes
• Geology
• Gypsum Plain
• Texas
• New Mexico
• Geomorphology
• Speleology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/604

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarworks.sfasu.edu:etds-1651