3D laser map technology shows earthquake zone before and after

Geologists have a new tool to study how earthquakes change the landscape -- down to a few inches. It's giving scientists insights into how earthquake faults behave. The team, working with the National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping (NCALM), flew over the area with LiDAR (light detection and ranging), which bounces a stream of laser pulses off the ground. New airborne LiDAR equipment can measure surface features to within a few inches.  The LiDAR survey further reveals warping of the ground surface adjacent to faults that previously could not easily be detected; it showed deformation around a system of small faults that caused the earthquake and allowed measurements that provide clues to understanding how multi-fault earthquakes occur.