Evaluating sources of uncertainty and variability in rock glacier inventories
This paper aims to evaluate sources of uncertainty and variability associated with rock glacier inventories compiled from remotely sensed imagery. To this end, we ran three mapping exercises in Kaiserbergtal, Austria. To evaluate interactions between mapping style and imagery resolution, we asked si...
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ftunibolognairis:oai:cris.unibo.it:11585/714180 2024-04-14T08:18:19+00:00 Evaluating sources of uncertainty and variability in rock glacier inventories Brardinoni F. Sailer R. Mair V. Scotti R. Brardinoni F. Scotti R. Sailer R. Mair V. 2019 ELETTRONICO http://hdl.handle.net/11585/714180 https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4674 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1096-9837 eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000478488700001 volume:44 issue:12 firstpage:2450 lastpage:2466 numberofpages:17 journal:EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS http://hdl.handle.net/11585/714180 doi:10.1002/esp.4674 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-85073488121 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1096-9837 activity assessment geomorphological mapping imagery resolution inter-operator variability remote sensing rock glacier info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2019 ftunibolognairis https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4674 2024-03-21T18:17:35Z This paper aims to evaluate sources of uncertainty and variability associated with rock glacier inventories compiled from remotely sensed imagery. To this end, we ran three mapping exercises in Kaiserbergtal, Austria. To evaluate interactions between mapping style and imagery resolution, we asked six operators to map and assess the degree of activity of all rock glaciers they could identify – first on Google EarthTM (GE) imagery and then on a set of higher‐resolution orthophotos and LiDAR‐derived images (LO) (Exercise 1). To compare the mapping attributes on a common set of rock glaciers, we asked 14 operators to delineate the outline of four designated rock glaciers (Exercise 2) and to classify the activity of 15 designated rock glaciers (Exercise 3) on LO. Results show strikingly high inter‐operator variability. Specifically, we show that the number of mapped rock glaciers on GE can vary up to a factor of 3, and that using LO lowers this figure to a factor of 2, while producing an increase in the number of mapped landforms, which become systematically smaller (Exercise 1). Examination of polygon outlines identifies highest inter‐operator variability at the transition with the rooting zone and, in polymorphic rock glaciers, on adjacent creeping lobes. Variability is higher for relict landforms (Exercise 2). Operators’ activity assessments, evaluated against an independent quantitative activity index (RGI), display reasonable agreement for active and relict landforms, whereas inactive counterparts meet least consensus and therefore are problematic (Exercise 3). We further show that this variability in mapping outcomes propagates across compound variables, and must be considered when assessing uncertainties and confidence levels of environmental evaluations that rely on rock glacier inventories, such as the lower altitudinal limit of discontinuous permafrost, or water storage potential. We call for an international effort to establish guidelines for rock glacier classification and mapping, towards more ... Article in Journal/Newspaper permafrost IRIS Università degli Studi di Bologna (CRIS - Current Research Information System) Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 44 12 2450 2466 |
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Open Polar |
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IRIS Università degli Studi di Bologna (CRIS - Current Research Information System) |
op_collection_id |
ftunibolognairis |
language |
English |
topic |
activity assessment geomorphological mapping imagery resolution inter-operator variability remote sensing rock glacier |
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activity assessment geomorphological mapping imagery resolution inter-operator variability remote sensing rock glacier Brardinoni F. Sailer R. Mair V. Scotti R. Evaluating sources of uncertainty and variability in rock glacier inventories |
topic_facet |
activity assessment geomorphological mapping imagery resolution inter-operator variability remote sensing rock glacier |
description |
This paper aims to evaluate sources of uncertainty and variability associated with rock glacier inventories compiled from remotely sensed imagery. To this end, we ran three mapping exercises in Kaiserbergtal, Austria. To evaluate interactions between mapping style and imagery resolution, we asked six operators to map and assess the degree of activity of all rock glaciers they could identify – first on Google EarthTM (GE) imagery and then on a set of higher‐resolution orthophotos and LiDAR‐derived images (LO) (Exercise 1). To compare the mapping attributes on a common set of rock glaciers, we asked 14 operators to delineate the outline of four designated rock glaciers (Exercise 2) and to classify the activity of 15 designated rock glaciers (Exercise 3) on LO. Results show strikingly high inter‐operator variability. Specifically, we show that the number of mapped rock glaciers on GE can vary up to a factor of 3, and that using LO lowers this figure to a factor of 2, while producing an increase in the number of mapped landforms, which become systematically smaller (Exercise 1). Examination of polygon outlines identifies highest inter‐operator variability at the transition with the rooting zone and, in polymorphic rock glaciers, on adjacent creeping lobes. Variability is higher for relict landforms (Exercise 2). Operators’ activity assessments, evaluated against an independent quantitative activity index (RGI), display reasonable agreement for active and relict landforms, whereas inactive counterparts meet least consensus and therefore are problematic (Exercise 3). We further show that this variability in mapping outcomes propagates across compound variables, and must be considered when assessing uncertainties and confidence levels of environmental evaluations that rely on rock glacier inventories, such as the lower altitudinal limit of discontinuous permafrost, or water storage potential. We call for an international effort to establish guidelines for rock glacier classification and mapping, towards more ... |
author2 |
Brardinoni F. Scotti R. Sailer R. Mair V. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Brardinoni F. Sailer R. Mair V. Scotti R. |
author_facet |
Brardinoni F. Sailer R. Mair V. Scotti R. |
author_sort |
Brardinoni F. |
title |
Evaluating sources of uncertainty and variability in rock glacier inventories |
title_short |
Evaluating sources of uncertainty and variability in rock glacier inventories |
title_full |
Evaluating sources of uncertainty and variability in rock glacier inventories |
title_fullStr |
Evaluating sources of uncertainty and variability in rock glacier inventories |
title_full_unstemmed |
Evaluating sources of uncertainty and variability in rock glacier inventories |
title_sort |
evaluating sources of uncertainty and variability in rock glacier inventories |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/11585/714180 https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4674 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1096-9837 |
genre |
permafrost |
genre_facet |
permafrost |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000478488700001 volume:44 issue:12 firstpage:2450 lastpage:2466 numberofpages:17 journal:EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS http://hdl.handle.net/11585/714180 doi:10.1002/esp.4674 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-85073488121 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1096-9837 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4674 |
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Earth Surface Processes and Landforms |
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44 |
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12 |
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2450 |
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2466 |
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