Using a Lidar-Based Height Variability Method for Recognizing and Analyzing Fault Displacement and Related Fossil Mass Movement in the Vipava Valley, SW Slovenia

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

I would suggest that you state in your title, abstract, and introduction a sentence or two about the application of remote sensing to the analysis - the journal "Remote Sensing" seems to be concerned with analysis and applications of at least some types of remote sensing.  The title as it is, gives no indication of methodology of research, and would probably cause a reader or researcher to overlook the paper when doing a topical search.

Author Response

We thank all the reviewers for constructive comments. Our point-to-point replies are given below, bulleted and in green color.

Reviewer #1

I would suggest that you state in your title, abstract, and introduction a sentence or two about the application of remote sensing to the analysis - the journal "Remote Sensing" seems to be concerned with analysis and applications of at least some types of remote sensing.  The title as it is, gives no indication of methodology of research, and would probably cause a reader or researcher to overlook the paper when doing a topical search.

• We have added the remote sensing method of lidar scanning, which was used in our study, to the title, abstract and Introduction. The new title of the manuscript is: 

  Using a lidar-based height variability method for recognizing and analyzing fault displacement and related fossil mass movement in the Vipava Valley, SW Slovenia

• manuscript has been English edited by MDPI Language Editing Service

Reviewer 2 Report

Excellent paper with minor grammatical suggestions below:

Line 40. Define "this feature" which is likely the secondary fracturing.

Line 53. replace semi colon with a colon.

Line 60. delete "a" before thrust fronts or change fronts to "front"

Line 60-63 is a long run on sentence that could be separated into two sentences.

Line 83. Change comma to a semi colon.

Line 86. Delete "soon come"

Line 87. "Here it springs ..." sentence should be expanded and rewritten for clarity.

Line 113 and 124. Is this the HV Method or just the "Method"?

Line 120. Results are given.

Line 130. Define VAT. Stating "the VAT Method" is better than just "Method"

Line 296. Change to plural or else add a term (aspect, nature, event, etc) to keep singular. The two phases (rather than "phase") are also evidenced (rather than "is"). Or else state "the two phase aspect or two phase nature"

Overall excellent paper!

 

 

 

 

Author Response

We thank the reviewer for constructive comments. Our point-to-point replies are given below, bulleted and in green color.

Reviewer #2

Excellent paper with minor grammatical suggestions below:

• Line 40. Define "this feature" which is likely the secondary fracturing.
  • Corrected to 'This intense fracturing'.
• Line 53. replace semi colon with a colon.
  • Corrected.
• Line 60. delete "a" before thrust fronts or change fronts to "front"
  • Corrected.
• Line 60-63 is a long run on sentence that could be separated into two sentences.
  • Corrected.
• Line 83. Change comma to a semi colon.
  • Corrected.
• Line 86. Delete "soon come"
  • Corrected.
• Line 87. "Here it springs ..." sentence should be expanded and rewritten for clarity.
  • The sentence was rewritten.
• Line 113 and 124. Is this the HV Method or just the "Method"?
  • Corrected.
• Line 120. Results are given.
  • Corrected.
• Line 130. Define VAT. Stating "the VAT Method" is better than just "Method"
  • We have revised the complete paragraph.
• Line 296. Change to plural or else add a term (aspect, nature, event, etc) to keep singular. The two phases (rather than "phase") are also evidenced (rather than "is"). Or else state "the two phase aspect or two phase nature"
  • Corrected to 'The two phases of the Podrta gora rock avalanche mass movement'.

Overall excellent paper!

• Thank you for this comment.

 

• English language and style are fine/minor spell check required

• • manuscript has been English edited by MDPI Language Editing Service

Reviewer 3 Report

The article is well structured and the authors conducted a complex study and used innovative techniques and achieved remarkable results.
The bibliography is current and is in accordance with the current requests and the case study carried out by the authors of the article.
In general, landslides are complex and consist of parts with different geomorphological features. Using the visual interpretation of the digital assessment model (DEM) and the calculated surface roughness indicator, the authors of the article were able to very well identify the surface properties of individual sediment bodies in most cases. Based on a combination of geomorphometric indicators, the authors of the article concluded that sedimentary bodies have a very complex structure, consisting of various Quaternary sedimentation processes. The analysis of typical morphological elements found in the sedimentary bodies of the Podrta gora and Gradiška gmajna rock avalanches and on the rotary blocks Stara baba, Veliki strel, Klapačiše and Zagriža is presented in Figure 7 by the authors of the article, very suggestive and intuitive.
Based on geomorphometric analyzes of surface roughness, the authors of the article distinguished about two main types of displacements: structurally induced displacements (along the fault zone) and displacements caused by Quaternary gravitational slope processes.
Quaternary slope deposits have been studied geomorphometrically by the authors, on two larger sedimentary bodies Podrta gora and Gradiška gmajna fossil rock avalanches and on some smaller gravitational carbonate bodies Stara baba, Veliki strel, Klapačiše and Zagriža.
According to the authors of the article, the quantitative parameter of surface roughness proved to be very useful in the study of fossils and avalanches of recent or sub-recent rocks or in general landslides.
 The authors of the article were able to detect very well the shape of the main and minor scarp, as well as the geomorphometric characteristics of the deposits in the individual bodies, of the studied area. In addition, the structural elements that influence the mass movements have been successfully identified.
As the authors found, it turns out that the roughness of the surface depends mainly on different deposition processes in addition to the properties of the material.
The visualization of roughness values ​​is the GIS environment (ArcGIS), which allowed them to understand the authors of the article, the two phases of complex avalanches that evolved from a landslide with a rotational landslide in the case of Podrta gora or a large rockfall in the case of Gradiška gmajna to an avalanche of rock. In the case of Stara baba, the gravity blocks Veliki strel and Klapačiše indicate large translation-rotation slides. In this regard, the authors strongly recommend
the use of surface roughness analysis in future research on mass movements induced by various causes of displacement. In addition, geomorphometric analyzes revealed some peculiarities in the structural observation, the most pronounced element being the sliding of the huge carbonate block on the Predjama fault in the hinterland of fossil rock avalanches and carbonate blocks. Comparison of the geomorphometric elements of the carbonate block (A) with the Mala gora rotation block above Lokavec shows that the whole area may be part of a major rotation slide of the carbonate massif that was partially displaced along the older fault structures. .
As a wish to those presented above, I recommend that the article be considered for publication in the journal.

Author Response

We thank the reviewer for constructive comments. Our point-to-point replies are given below, bulleted and in green color.

Reviewer #3

The article is well structured and the authors conducted a complex study and used innovative techniques and achieved remarkable results.
The bibliography is current and is in accordance with the current requests and the case study carried out by the authors of the article.

In general, landslides are complex and consist of parts with different geomorphological features. Using the visual interpretation of the digital assessment model (DEM) and the calculated surface roughness indicator, the authors of the article were able to very well identify the surface properties of individual sediment bodies in most cases. Based on a combination of geomorphometric indicators, the authors of the article concluded that sedimentary bodies have a very complex structure, consisting of various Quaternary sedimentation processes. The analysis of typical morphological elements found in the sedimentary bodies of the Podrta gora and Gradiška gmajna rock avalanches and on the rotary blocks Stara baba, Veliki strel, Klapačiše and Zagriža is presented in Figure 7 by the authors of the article, very suggestive and intuitive.

Based on geomorphometric analyzes of surface roughness, the authors of the article distinguished about two main types of displacements: structurally induced displacements (along the fault zone) and displacements caused by Quaternary gravitational slope processes.
Quaternary slope deposits have been studied geomorphometrically by the authors, on two larger sedimentary bodies Podrta gora and Gradiška gmajna fossil rock avalanches and on some smaller gravitational carbonate bodies Stara baba, Veliki strel, Klapačiše and Zagriža.
According to the authors of the article, the quantitative parameter of surface roughness proved to be very useful in the study of fossils and avalanches of recent or sub-recent rocks or in general landslides.

 The authors of the article were able to detect very well the shape of the main and minor scarp, as well as the geomorphometric characteristics of the deposits in the individual bodies, of the studied area. In addition, the structural elements that influence the mass movements have been successfully identified.
As the authors found, it turns out that the roughness of the surface depends mainly on different deposition processes in addition to the properties of the material.

The visualization of roughness values ​​is the GIS environment (ArcGIS), which allowed them to understand the authors of the article, the two phases of complex avalanches that evolved from a landslide with a rotational landslide in the case of Podrta gora or a large rockfall in the case of Gradiška gmajna to an avalanche of rock. In the case of Stara baba, the gravity blocks Veliki strel and Klapačiše indicate large translation-rotation slides. In this regard, the authors strongly recommend
the use of surface roughness analysis in future research on mass movements induced by various causes of displacement. In addition, geomorphometric analyzes revealed some peculiarities in the structural observation, the most pronounced element being the sliding of the huge carbonate block on the Predjama fault in the hinterland of fossil rock avalanches and carbonate blocks. Comparison of the geomorphometric elements of the carbonate block (A) with the Mala gora rotation block above Lokavec shows that the whole area may be part of a major rotation slide of the carbonate massif that was partially displaced along the older fault structures.

As a wish to those presented above, I recommend that the article be considered for publication in the journal.

• Thank you for a very positive review.