Coastal Erosion of Arctic Cultural Heritage in Danger: A Case Study from Svalbard, Norway
Strong cultural heritage management relies on a thorough evaluation of the threats faced by heritage sites, both in the present and in the future. In this study, we analysed the changes in the position of Hiorthhamn shoreline (Svalbard), which is affecting coastal cultural heritage sites, for a peri...
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ftmdpi:oai:mdpi.com:/2073-4441/13/6/784/ 2023-08-20T04:04:26+02:00 Coastal Erosion of Arctic Cultural Heritage in Danger: A Case Study from Svalbard, Norway Ionut Cristi Nicu Lena Rubensdotter Knut Stalsberg Erich Nau agris 2021-03-13 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.3390/w13060784 EN eng Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute Hydrology https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w13060784 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Water; Volume 13; Issue 6; Pages: 784 coastal erosion cultural heritage high arctic monitoring Svalbard DSAS Text 2021 ftmdpi https://doi.org/10.3390/w13060784 2023-08-01T01:16:39Z Strong cultural heritage management relies on a thorough evaluation of the threats faced by heritage sites, both in the present and in the future. In this study, we analysed the changes in the position of Hiorthhamn shoreline (Svalbard), which is affecting coastal cultural heritage sites, for a period of 93 years (1927–2020). Shoreline changes were mapped by using maps, ortophotos, drone images, terrestrial laser scanning (TLS), and topographic surveys. Also, TLS was used to 3D document the endangered coastal cultural heritage sites. Detailed sedimentological and morphological mapping was made in the field and from the newly acquired drone images in order to understand shoreline-landscape interaction and to depict changes occurring from 2019 to 2020. Short-term (2019–2020) and long-term (1927–2020) shoreline erosion/accretion was made with the help of the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) and prompted a subdivision of three sectors, based on change pattern. Compared to a previous long-term analysis (1927–2019), this year’s average erosion rate analysis (expressed by the EPR parameter) for the 93-year period is −0.14 m/yr. This shift in mean development is due to a newly formed spit-bar in Sector 2. Referring strictly to Sector 1, where the protected cultural heritage objects are located, the erosion rate increased from the previous analysis of –0.76 m/yr to −0.77 m/yr. The shoreline forecast analysis highlights that half of the protected cultural heritage objects will likely disappear over the next decade and almost all the cultural heritage objects analysed in this study will disappear in roughly two decades. This shows the great danger the Arctic’s cultural heritage sites is in if no mitigation measures are undertaken by the local authorities. Text Arctic Svalbard MDPI Open Access Publishing Arctic Svalbard Norway Water 13 6 784 |
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MDPI Open Access Publishing |
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ftmdpi |
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English |
topic |
coastal erosion cultural heritage high arctic monitoring Svalbard DSAS |
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coastal erosion cultural heritage high arctic monitoring Svalbard DSAS Ionut Cristi Nicu Lena Rubensdotter Knut Stalsberg Erich Nau Coastal Erosion of Arctic Cultural Heritage in Danger: A Case Study from Svalbard, Norway |
topic_facet |
coastal erosion cultural heritage high arctic monitoring Svalbard DSAS |
description |
Strong cultural heritage management relies on a thorough evaluation of the threats faced by heritage sites, both in the present and in the future. In this study, we analysed the changes in the position of Hiorthhamn shoreline (Svalbard), which is affecting coastal cultural heritage sites, for a period of 93 years (1927–2020). Shoreline changes were mapped by using maps, ortophotos, drone images, terrestrial laser scanning (TLS), and topographic surveys. Also, TLS was used to 3D document the endangered coastal cultural heritage sites. Detailed sedimentological and morphological mapping was made in the field and from the newly acquired drone images in order to understand shoreline-landscape interaction and to depict changes occurring from 2019 to 2020. Short-term (2019–2020) and long-term (1927–2020) shoreline erosion/accretion was made with the help of the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) and prompted a subdivision of three sectors, based on change pattern. Compared to a previous long-term analysis (1927–2019), this year’s average erosion rate analysis (expressed by the EPR parameter) for the 93-year period is −0.14 m/yr. This shift in mean development is due to a newly formed spit-bar in Sector 2. Referring strictly to Sector 1, where the protected cultural heritage objects are located, the erosion rate increased from the previous analysis of –0.76 m/yr to −0.77 m/yr. The shoreline forecast analysis highlights that half of the protected cultural heritage objects will likely disappear over the next decade and almost all the cultural heritage objects analysed in this study will disappear in roughly two decades. This shows the great danger the Arctic’s cultural heritage sites is in if no mitigation measures are undertaken by the local authorities. |
format |
Text |
author |
Ionut Cristi Nicu Lena Rubensdotter Knut Stalsberg Erich Nau |
author_facet |
Ionut Cristi Nicu Lena Rubensdotter Knut Stalsberg Erich Nau |
author_sort |
Ionut Cristi Nicu |
title |
Coastal Erosion of Arctic Cultural Heritage in Danger: A Case Study from Svalbard, Norway |
title_short |
Coastal Erosion of Arctic Cultural Heritage in Danger: A Case Study from Svalbard, Norway |
title_full |
Coastal Erosion of Arctic Cultural Heritage in Danger: A Case Study from Svalbard, Norway |
title_fullStr |
Coastal Erosion of Arctic Cultural Heritage in Danger: A Case Study from Svalbard, Norway |
title_full_unstemmed |
Coastal Erosion of Arctic Cultural Heritage in Danger: A Case Study from Svalbard, Norway |
title_sort |
coastal erosion of arctic cultural heritage in danger: a case study from svalbard, norway |
publisher |
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3390/w13060784 |
op_coverage |
agris |
geographic |
Arctic Svalbard Norway |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Svalbard Norway |
genre |
Arctic Svalbard |
genre_facet |
Arctic Svalbard |
op_source |
Water; Volume 13; Issue 6; Pages: 784 |
op_relation |
Hydrology https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w13060784 |
op_rights |
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3390/w13060784 |
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Water |
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13 |
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6 |
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784 |
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