Morphometric analysis of aeolian bedforms in the Namib Sand Sea using ASTER data

Joanna E. Bullard, Kevin White, Ian Livingstone

    Research output: Contribution to Book/ReportChapterpeer-review

    Abstract

    The ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model (GDEM) has made elevation data at 30 m spatial resolution freely available, enabling reinvestigation of morphometric relationships derived from limited field data using much larger sample sizes. These data are used to analyse a range of morphometric relationships derived for dunes (between dune height, spacing, and equivalent sand thickness) in the Namib Sand Sea, which was chosen because there are a number of extant studies that could be used for comparison with the results. The relative accuracy of GDEM for capturing dune height and shape was tested against multiple individual ASTER DEM scenes and against field surveys, highlighting the smoothing of the dune crest and resultant underestimation of dune height, and the omission of the smallest dunes, because of the 30 m sampling of ASTER DEM products. It is demonstrated that morphometric relationships derived from GDEM data are broadly comparable with relationships derived by previous methods, across a range of different dune types. The data confirm patterns of dune height, spacing and equivalent sand thickness mapped previously in the Namib Sand Sea, but add new detail to these patterns
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationEarth Surface Processes and Landforms
    Pages1534-1549
    Number of pages16
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 15 Sept 2011

    Publication series

    NameEarth Surface Processes and Landforms
    Volume36

    Keywords

    • ASTER GDEM
    • Dune morphometry
    • Namib Sand Sea

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