Making a subsurface TIN model

Question

I had been very glad if any of you have time to help me. I am a student and currently writing a thesis. In this paper I will create a 3D model of a glacier, where I will show the internal structures of the glacier. (Ice and Snow) I use ArcMap and ArcScene.

My workflow is as follows: Collected data with GPR (ground penetrating radar) Analyzed data and created given depth values ​​(how thick the snow is and how thick is the ice). This is done in Reflexw. The output I get is in an ASCII format, columns of snow thickness and the thickness of the ice. Of this data I create shapefiles in arc map. A Shapefile for snow and the ice. I have about 7 sections with snow and ice thickness. My goal now is to create one TIN for the snow layer and one for the ice layer. I already have a TIN of the research area with orthophotos draped over (topography). Now I want snow and ice TIN lie below each other, and the TIN model of the topography. Have tried to create negative values ​​of the depth measurements, but to no luck.

My question is: How do I create TIN model for snow and ice, so that the layers lie below the topography? :)

I'm attaching some links so that you may understand better what I mean:

This is what i want to do:

http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.1/index.html#//00q900000032000000

and now it looks like this: http://imgur.com/yYscxbp (the blue and red lines is the sections of snow (red) and ice (blue)). The green TIN is made from the snow layer, but as you can see; it does not fit with the topography. Do I have to adjust the z coordinatesystem in some ways?

Highly appreciate all the help I can get.

Regards, Jorn

Answer 1

Have you tried subtracting the depth values from the DEM surface values? This should give you elevation values that are in correct relation to the surface. You can then use these values as your TIN nodes. Whatever the solution, I'm definitely interested to hear what comes up. It sounds like an interesting project.