Detection of crevassed areas with minimum geometric information: Vernagtferner case study
Crevasses pose severe risks for mountaineers and field glaciologists. Smaller cracks between 0.5 and 2 m are still dangerous, but often not visible in medium resolution satellite imagery. If they are snow covered, they are completely undetectable by optical sensors. We set out to develop an approach...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Journal of Glaciology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023000126/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797652254037114880 |
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| author | Theresa Dobler Wilfried Hagg Christoph Mayer |
| author_facet | Theresa Dobler Wilfried Hagg Christoph Mayer |
| author_sort | Theresa Dobler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Crevasses pose severe risks for mountaineers and field glaciologists. Smaller cracks between 0.5 and 2 m are still dangerous, but often not visible in medium resolution satellite imagery. If they are snow covered, they are completely undetectable by optical sensors. We set out to develop an approach to detect potentially crevassed areas by a minimum of geometric data, and to make the method generally applicable to glacier regions. On Vernagtferner, we compared a reference dataset of crevasses observed in high-resolution optical imagery with the curvature of the ice surface and the spatial gradients in driving stress. Both parameters can be derived from a digital surface model and a bedrock model, derived from ice thickness measurements. The correlation patterns show that crevasses preferably form in convex areas and in areas where the driving stress rapidly increases. This corresponds with the theory of crevasse formation. Although the method still misclassifies larger parts, the approach has the potential to define probable non-crevassed areas as well as to aid the planning of safe routes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T16:27:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a6520999c9274cfcbb26563177d969b6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T16:27:22Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Glaciology |
| spelling | doaj.art-a6520999c9274cfcbb26563177d969b62023-10-24T09:48:09ZengCambridge University PressJournal of Glaciology0022-14301727-56522023-10-01691214122410.1017/jog.2023.12Detection of crevassed areas with minimum geometric information: Vernagtferner case studyTheresa Dobler0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3795-3089Wilfried Hagg1Christoph Mayer2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4226-4608Department of Geoinformatics, Munich University of Applied Sciences HM, 80333 Munich, GermanyDepartment of Geoinformatics, Munich University of Applied Sciences HM, 80333 Munich, GermanyBavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities, 80333 Munich, GermanyCrevasses pose severe risks for mountaineers and field glaciologists. Smaller cracks between 0.5 and 2 m are still dangerous, but often not visible in medium resolution satellite imagery. If they are snow covered, they are completely undetectable by optical sensors. We set out to develop an approach to detect potentially crevassed areas by a minimum of geometric data, and to make the method generally applicable to glacier regions. On Vernagtferner, we compared a reference dataset of crevasses observed in high-resolution optical imagery with the curvature of the ice surface and the spatial gradients in driving stress. Both parameters can be derived from a digital surface model and a bedrock model, derived from ice thickness measurements. The correlation patterns show that crevasses preferably form in convex areas and in areas where the driving stress rapidly increases. This corresponds with the theory of crevasse formation. Although the method still misclassifies larger parts, the approach has the potential to define probable non-crevassed areas as well as to aid the planning of safe routes.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023000126/type/journal_articleApplied glaciologycrevassesglacier hazards |
| spellingShingle | Theresa Dobler Wilfried Hagg Christoph Mayer Detection of crevassed areas with minimum geometric information: Vernagtferner case study Journal of Glaciology Applied glaciology crevasses glacier hazards |
| title | Detection of crevassed areas with minimum geometric information: Vernagtferner case study |
| title_full | Detection of crevassed areas with minimum geometric information: Vernagtferner case study |
| title_fullStr | Detection of crevassed areas with minimum geometric information: Vernagtferner case study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Detection of crevassed areas with minimum geometric information: Vernagtferner case study |
| title_short | Detection of crevassed areas with minimum geometric information: Vernagtferner case study |
| title_sort | detection of crevassed areas with minimum geometric information vernagtferner case study |
| topic | Applied glaciology crevasses glacier hazards |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023000126/type/journal_article |
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