Arctic rock coast responses under a changing climate

REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT

卷:236

Article

Lim, Michael¹  Strzelecki, Mateusz C.^2,6  Kasprzak, Marek²  Swirad, Zuzanna M.³  Webster, Clare⁴  Woodward, John¹  Gjelten, Herdis⁵ 

[1] Northumbria Univ, Engn & Environm, Ellison Bldg, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8ST, Tyne & Wear, England

[2] Univ Wroclaw, Inst Geog & Reg Dev, Pl Uniwersytecki 1, PL-50137 Wroclaw, Poland

[3] Univ Durham, Dept Geog, South Rd, Durham DH1 3LE, England

[4] WSL Inst Snow & Avalanche Res SLF, Davos, Switzerland

[5] Norwegian Meteorol Inst, Observat & Climate Dept, POB 43 Blindern, NO-0313 Oslo, Norway

[6] Helmholtz Ctr Polar & Marine Res, Alfred Wegener Inst, Permafrost Res, D-14473 Potsdam, Germany

关键词: Structure from motion;    Photogrammetry;    Terrestial laser scanning;    Arctic geomorphology;    Climate change;    Rock coasts;    Temperature mapping;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.rse.2019.111500

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

It has been widely reported that Arctic sea ice has decreased in both extent and thickness, coupled with steadily rising mean annual temperatures. These trends have been particularly severe along the rock coast of southern Svalbard. Concerns have been raised over the potential for higher energy storms and longer ice-free open water seasons to increase the exposure of Arctic coasts, and consequently the concentration of infrastructure critical to Arctic community survival, to enhanced rates of erosion. Here we present and apply innovative remote sensing, monitoring and process analyses to assess the impact of recent coastal climatic changes. High resolution analyses demonstrate that the small scale ( < 0.001 m(3)) changes that are rarely considered quantitatively exhibit geomorphic responses distinct from those of larger, more readily detected cliff failures. We monitor temperature depth profiles in both the shore platform and the cliff face to show rock sensitivity over time to both global and local influences. The results demonstrate the efficacy of thermal processes on Arctic rock cliffs relative to platforms, and may hold implications for understanding strandflat development rates. New three-dimensional thermography (thermal mapping) and process zone characterisation has been used to spatially assess the sensitivity of Arctic rock coast responses to contemporary processes on deglaciating coasts. Through the spatial and temporal analyses of key geomorphic behaviour zones and comparison over a range of sites, the complex and changing interplay between subaerial weathering and cryogenic and intertidal processes has been highlighted. These data challenge long standing assumptions over the future of Arctic rock coasts and identify new, focused lines of enquiry on the decline in cryogenic processes and understanding the sensitivity of Arctic rock coasts to climatic changes.

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