TY - JOUR

T1 - Assessment of the ice wedge polygon current state by means of UAV imagery analysis (Samoylov Island, the Lena Delta)

AU - Kartoziia, Andrei

PY - 2019/7/1

Y1 - 2019/7/1

N2 - Modern degradation of Arctic permafrost promotes changes in tundra landscapes and leads to degradation of ice wedge polygons, which are the most widespread landforms of Arctic wetlands. Status assessment of polygon degradation is important for various environmental studies. We have applied the geographic information systems' (GIS) analysis of data from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to accurately assess the status of ice wedge polygon degradation on Samoylov Island. We used several modern models of polygon degradation for revealing polygon types, which obviously correspond to different stages of degradation. Manual methods of mapping and a high spatial resolution of used UAV data allowed for a high degree of accuracy in the identification of all land units. The study revealed the following: 41.79% of the first terrace surface was composed of non-degraded polygonal tundra; 18.37% was composed of polygons, which had signs of thermokarst activity and corresponded to various stages of degradation in the models; and 39.84% was composed of collapsed polygons, slopes, valleys, and water bodies, excluding ponds of individual polygons. This study characterizes the current status of polygonal tundra degradation of the first terrace surface on Samoylov Island. Our assessment reflects the landscape condition of the first terrace surface of Samoylov Island, which is the typical island of the southern part of the Lena Delta. Moreover, the study illustrates the potential of UAV data GIS analysis for highly accurate investigations of Arctic landscape changes.

AB - Modern degradation of Arctic permafrost promotes changes in tundra landscapes and leads to degradation of ice wedge polygons, which are the most widespread landforms of Arctic wetlands. Status assessment of polygon degradation is important for various environmental studies. We have applied the geographic information systems' (GIS) analysis of data from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to accurately assess the status of ice wedge polygon degradation on Samoylov Island. We used several modern models of polygon degradation for revealing polygon types, which obviously correspond to different stages of degradation. Manual methods of mapping and a high spatial resolution of used UAV data allowed for a high degree of accuracy in the identification of all land units. The study revealed the following: 41.79% of the first terrace surface was composed of non-degraded polygonal tundra; 18.37% was composed of polygons, which had signs of thermokarst activity and corresponded to various stages of degradation in the models; and 39.84% was composed of collapsed polygons, slopes, valleys, and water bodies, excluding ponds of individual polygons. This study characterizes the current status of polygonal tundra degradation of the first terrace surface on Samoylov Island. Our assessment reflects the landscape condition of the first terrace surface of Samoylov Island, which is the typical island of the southern part of the Lena Delta. Moreover, the study illustrates the potential of UAV data GIS analysis for highly accurate investigations of Arctic landscape changes.

KW - DTM

KW - High-centered polygons

KW - Low-centered polygons

KW - Polygon degradation

KW - Remote sensing

KW - Samoylov island

KW - The Lena delta

KW - Thermokarst

KW - UAV

KW - PERMAFROST

KW - GROUND-ICE

KW - polygon degradation

KW - SIBERIA

KW - the Lena delta

KW - TUNDRA

KW - thermokarst

KW - remote sensing

KW - high-centered polygons

KW - LAND-SURFACE

KW - ACTIVE-LAYER

KW - DYNAMICS

KW - DEGRADATION

KW - RIVER DELTA

KW - low-centered polygons

KW - VEGETATION

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85073803014&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/rs11131627

DO - 10.3390/rs11131627

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85073803014

VL - 11

JO - Remote Sensing

JF - Remote Sensing

SN - 2072-4292

IS - 13

M1 - 1627

ER -