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- Title
A Rock Glacier Activity Index Based on Rock Glacier Thickness Changes and Displacement Rates Derived From Airborne Laser Scanning.
- Authors
Bollmann, Erik; Girstmair, Anna; Mitterer, Susanna; Krainer, Karl; Sailer, Rudolf; Stötter, Johann
- Abstract
Regional assessments of whether a rock glacier is active are mainly based on expert interpretation of surface characteristics. This study presents a quantitative approach to assess rock glacier activity based on magnitudes (average and standard deviation) of rock glacier thickness changes and displacement rates calculated from repeated airborne laser scanning data. In contrast to the established three-part activity classification, the activity index pR indicates the degree of rock glacier activity, with values ranging between 0 (not active, because no surface changes are observed) and 1 (very active, because the highest magnitudes of surface changes are observed). The activity index values determined correspond well with the activity type determined in the Tyrolean rock glacier inventory: rock glaciers with pR values>0.65 are mainly classified as active (77% active, 22% inactive, 1% relict), whereas 88 per cent of all relict rock glaciers correspond to pR values<0.4. For some rock glaciers, the pR does not support the classification given in the Tyrolean rock glacier inventory and the activity index provides valuable information to improve and complement existing inventories. The workflow developed can be adapted to other rock glacier data-sets, allowing quantitatively comparable results to be obtained between different regions.
- Subjects
ROCK glaciers; AIRBORNE lasers; QUANTITATIVE research; THICKNESS measurement; STANDARD deviations
- Publication
Permafrost & Periglacial Processes, 2015, Vol 26, Issue 4, p347
- ISSN
1045-6740
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1002/ppp.1852