Detailed alluvial fan geomorphology in a high-arctic periglacial environment, Svalbard: application of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) surveys

Aleksandra M. Tomczyk*, Marek W. Ewertowski, Monika Stawska, Grzegorz Rachlewicz

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

19 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A 1:850 detailed map of the geomorphology of the Dynamisk Creek alluvial fan on Svalbard was produced based on very high-resolution data collected using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in 2014. The map documents features within the surface of the fan (0.35 km2), emphasizing their relative temporal activity. Fluvial flows were the most important geomorphological processes responsible for aggradation and modification of the fan surface. However, at present most of the fan area is inactive (about 75% of the whole fan surface) and stabilized by vegetation and mosses. Furthermore, in some places, niveo-aeolian (6% of the fan surface) and snow avalanches (1.5% of the fan surface) deposits have been noticed. In addition to the map, detailed morphometric characteristics of the fan and its catchment are also provided. The presented work illustrates the enormous usefulness of small UAVs for the study of fan surfaces in periglacial environments.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)460-473
Number of pages14
JournalJournal of Maps
Volume15
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 3 Jul 2019

Keywords

  • Alluvial fan
  • Arctic
  • GIS
  • Petuniabukta
  • drone
  • geomorphology
  • mapping

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