Estimating the Evolution of a Post-Little Ice Age Deglaciated Alpine Valley through the DEM of Difference (DoD)
Since the end of the Little Ice Age (LIA, ~1830), the accelerated glaciers’ shrinkage along mid-latitude high mountain areas promoted a quick readjustment of geomorphological processes with the onset of the paraglacial dynamic, making proglacial areas among the most sensitive Earth’s landscapes to o...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-06-01
|
| Series: | Remote Sensing |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/15/12/3190 |
| _version_ | 1797592793738117120 |
|---|---|
| author | Roberto Sergio Azzoni Manuela Pelfini Andrea Zerboni |
| author_facet | Roberto Sergio Azzoni Manuela Pelfini Andrea Zerboni |
| author_sort | Roberto Sergio Azzoni |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Since the end of the Little Ice Age (LIA, ~1830), the accelerated glaciers’ shrinkage along mid-latitude high mountain areas promoted a quick readjustment of geomorphological processes with the onset of the paraglacial dynamic, making proglacial areas among the most sensitive Earth’s landscapes to ongoing climate change. A potentially useful remote-sensing method for investigating such dynamic areas is the DEM (Digital Elevation Model) of Difference (DoD) technique, which quantifies volumetric changes in a territory between successive topographic surveys. After a detailed geomorphological analysis and comparison with historical maps of the Martello Valley (central Italian Alps), we applied the DoD for reconstructing post-LIA deglaciation dynamics and reported on the surface effects of freshly-onset paraglacial processes. The head of the valley is still glacierized, with three main ice bodies resulting from the huge reduction of a single glacier present at the apogee of the LIA. Aftermath: the glaciers lose 60% of their initial surface area, largely modifying local landforms and expanding the surface of the proglacial areas. The DoD analysis of the 2006–2015 timeframe (based on registered DEM derived from LiDAR—Light Detection and Ranging—data) highlights deep surface elevation changes ranging from +38 ± 4.01 m along the foot of rock walls, where gravitative processes increased their intensity, to −47 ± 4.01 m where the melting of buried ice caused collapses of the proglacial surface. This approach permits estimating the volume of sediments mobilized and reworked by paraglacial processes. Here, in less than 10 years, −23,675 ± 1165 m<sup>3</sup> of sediment were removed along the proglacial area and transported down valley, highlighting the dynamicity of proglacial areas. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:58:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a915e411ed164f74bdb97d82458db37a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-4292 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:58:15Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj.art-a915e411ed164f74bdb97d82458db37a2023-11-18T12:27:44ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922023-06-011512319010.3390/rs15123190Estimating the Evolution of a Post-Little Ice Age Deglaciated Alpine Valley through the DEM of Difference (DoD)Roberto Sergio Azzoni0Manuela Pelfini1Andrea Zerboni2Dipartimento adi Scienze della Terra “A. Desio”, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, ItalyDipartimento adi Scienze della Terra “A. Desio”, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, ItalyDipartimento adi Scienze della Terra “A. Desio”, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, ItalySince the end of the Little Ice Age (LIA, ~1830), the accelerated glaciers’ shrinkage along mid-latitude high mountain areas promoted a quick readjustment of geomorphological processes with the onset of the paraglacial dynamic, making proglacial areas among the most sensitive Earth’s landscapes to ongoing climate change. A potentially useful remote-sensing method for investigating such dynamic areas is the DEM (Digital Elevation Model) of Difference (DoD) technique, which quantifies volumetric changes in a territory between successive topographic surveys. After a detailed geomorphological analysis and comparison with historical maps of the Martello Valley (central Italian Alps), we applied the DoD for reconstructing post-LIA deglaciation dynamics and reported on the surface effects of freshly-onset paraglacial processes. The head of the valley is still glacierized, with three main ice bodies resulting from the huge reduction of a single glacier present at the apogee of the LIA. Aftermath: the glaciers lose 60% of their initial surface area, largely modifying local landforms and expanding the surface of the proglacial areas. The DoD analysis of the 2006–2015 timeframe (based on registered DEM derived from LiDAR—Light Detection and Ranging—data) highlights deep surface elevation changes ranging from +38 ± 4.01 m along the foot of rock walls, where gravitative processes increased their intensity, to −47 ± 4.01 m where the melting of buried ice caused collapses of the proglacial surface. This approach permits estimating the volume of sediments mobilized and reworked by paraglacial processes. Here, in less than 10 years, −23,675 ± 1165 m<sup>3</sup> of sediment were removed along the proglacial area and transported down valley, highlighting the dynamicity of proglacial areas.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/15/12/3190proglacial landformsparaglacial processesremote sensingDEM of Differencepost-LIA deglaciationcentral Alps |
| spellingShingle | Roberto Sergio Azzoni Manuela Pelfini Andrea Zerboni Estimating the Evolution of a Post-Little Ice Age Deglaciated Alpine Valley through the DEM of Difference (DoD) Remote Sensing proglacial landforms paraglacial processes remote sensing DEM of Difference post-LIA deglaciation central Alps |
| title | Estimating the Evolution of a Post-Little Ice Age Deglaciated Alpine Valley through the DEM of Difference (DoD) |
| title_full | Estimating the Evolution of a Post-Little Ice Age Deglaciated Alpine Valley through the DEM of Difference (DoD) |
| title_fullStr | Estimating the Evolution of a Post-Little Ice Age Deglaciated Alpine Valley through the DEM of Difference (DoD) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Estimating the Evolution of a Post-Little Ice Age Deglaciated Alpine Valley through the DEM of Difference (DoD) |
| title_short | Estimating the Evolution of a Post-Little Ice Age Deglaciated Alpine Valley through the DEM of Difference (DoD) |
| title_sort | estimating the evolution of a post little ice age deglaciated alpine valley through the dem of difference dod |
| topic | proglacial landforms paraglacial processes remote sensing DEM of Difference post-LIA deglaciation central Alps |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/15/12/3190 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT robertosergioazzoni estimatingtheevolutionofapostlittleiceagedeglaciatedalpinevalleythroughthedemofdifferencedod AT manuelapelfini estimatingtheevolutionofapostlittleiceagedeglaciatedalpinevalleythroughthedemofdifferencedod AT andreazerboni estimatingtheevolutionofapostlittleiceagedeglaciatedalpinevalleythroughthedemofdifferencedod |