Application of Digital Elevation Model (DEM) for description of soil microtopography changes in laboratory experiments

Abstract In the study we evaluated spatial and quantitative changes in soil surface microtopography to describe water erosion process under simulated rain with use of a non-contact optical 3D scanner. The experiment was conducted in two variants: with and without drainage layer. Two clay soils collected from farmlands from the catchment of lake Zgorzała (Warsaw) were investigated. Six tests of simulated rain were applied, with 55 mm·h−1. The surface roughness and microrelief were determined immediately after every 10 min of rainfall simulation by 3D scanner. The volume of surface and underground runoff as well as soil moisture were measured. The surface points coordinates obtained while scanning were interpolated using natural neighbour method and GIS software to generate Digital Elevation Models (DEM) with a 0.5 mm resolution. Two DEM-derived surface roughness indices: Random Roughness (RR) and Terrain Ruggedness Index (TRI) were used for microrelief description. Calculated values of both roughness factors have decreased with time under the influence of rainfall in all analyzed variants. During the sprinkling the moisture of all samples had been growing rapidly from air-dry state reaching values close to the maximum water capacity (37–48% vol.) in 20–30 min. Simultaneously the intensity of surface runoff was increasing and cumulative runoff value was: 17–35% for variants with drainage and 72–83% for the variants without drainage, relative to cumulative rainfall. The observed soil surface elevation changes were associated with aggregates decomposition, erosion and sedimentation, and above all, with a compaction of the soil, which was considered to be a dominant factor hindering the assessment of the erosion intensity of the of the scanned surface.

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Effect of tillage, slope, and rainfall on soil surface microtopography quantified by geostatistical and fractal indices during sheet erosion

Open Geosciences ◽

10.1515/geo-2020-0036 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 232-241

Author(s):

Na Ta ◽

Chutian Zhang ◽

Hongru Ding ◽

Qingfeng Zhang

Keyword(s):

Surface Roughness ◽

Fractal Dimension ◽

Soil Surface ◽

Rainfall Events ◽

Tillage Practices ◽

Surface Microtopography ◽

Artificial Rainfall ◽

Soil Surface Roughness ◽

The Difference ◽

Sheet Erosion

AbstractTillage and slope will influence soil surface roughness that changes during rainfall events. This study tests this effect under controlled conditions quantified by geostatistical and fractal indices. When four commonly adopted tillage practices, namely, artificial backhoe (AB), artificial digging (AD), contour tillage (CT), and linear slope (CK), were prepared on soil surfaces at 2 × 1 × 0.5 m soil pans at 5°, 10°, or 20° slope gradients, artificial rainfall with an intensity of 60 or 90 mm h−1 was applied to it. Measurements of the difference in elevation points of the surface profiles were taken before rainfall and after rainfall events for sheet erosion. Tillage practices had a relationship with fractal indices that the surface treated with CT exhibited the biggest fractal dimension D value, followed by the surfaces AD, AB, and CK. Surfaces under a stronger rainfall tended to have a greater D value. Tillage treatments affected anisotropy differently and the surface CT had the strongest effect on anisotropy, followed by the surfaces AD, AB, and CK. A steeper surface would have less effect on anisotropy. Since the surface CT had the strongest effect on spatial variability or the weakest spatial autocorrelation, it had the smallest effect on runoff and sediment yield. Therefore, tillage CT could make a better tillage practice of conserving water and soil. Simultaneously, changes in semivariogram and fractal parameters for surface roughness were examined and evaluated. Fractal parameter – crossover length l – is more sensitive than fractal dimension D to rainfall action to describe vertical differences in soil surface roughness evolution.

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EFFECT OF SOIL TILLAGE AND PLANT RESIDUE ON SURFACE ROUGHNESS OF AN OXISOL UNDER SIMULATED RAIN

Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo ◽

10.1590/01000683rbcs20150187 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 39 (1) ◽

pp. 268-278 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Elói Panachuki ◽

Ildegardis Bertol ◽

Teodorico Alves Sobrinho ◽

Paulo Tarso Sanches de Oliveira ◽

Dulce Buchala Bicca Rodrigues

Keyword(s):

Surface Roughness ◽

Soil Surface ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Plant Residue ◽

Soil Tillage ◽

No Tillage ◽

Maize Crop ◽

Minimum Tillage ◽

Roughness Index ◽

Simulated Rain

Surface roughness of the soil is formed by mechanical tillage and is also influenced by the kind and amount of plant residue, among other factors. Its persistence over time mainly depends on the fundamental characteristics of rain and soil type. However, few studies have been developed to evaluate these factors in Latossolos (Oxisols). In this study, we evaluated the effect of soil tillage and of amounts of plant residue on surface roughness of an Oxisol under simulated rain. Treatments consisted of the combination of the tillage systems of no-tillage (NT), conventional tillage (CT), and minimum tillage (MT) with rates of plant residue of 0, 1, and 2 Mg ha-1 of oats (Avena strigosa Schreb) and 0, 3, and 6 Mg ha-1 of maize (Zea mays L.). Seven simulated rains were applied on each experimental plot, with intensity of 60±2 mm h-1 and duration of 1 h at weekly intervals. The values of the random roughness index ranged from 2.94 to 17.71 mm in oats, and from 5.91 to 20.37 mm in maize, showing that CT and MT are effective in increasing soil surface roughness. It was seen that soil tillage operations carried out with the chisel plow and the leveling disk harrow are more effective in increasing soil roughness than those carried out with the heavy disk harrow and leveling disk harrow. The roughness index of the soil surface decreases exponentially with the increase in the rainfall volume applied under conditions of no tillage without soil cover, conventional tillage, and minimum tillage. The oat and maize crop residue present on the soil surface is effective in maintaining the roughness of the soil surface under no-tillage.

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Scale-Optimized Surface Roughness for Topographic Analysis

Geosciences ◽

10.3390/geosciences9070322 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (7) ◽

pp. 322 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

John B. Lindsay ◽

Daniel R. Newman ◽

Anthony Francioni

Keyword(s):

Surface Roughness ◽

Forest Cover ◽

Agricultural Land ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

Grid Cell ◽

Topographic Analysis ◽

Digital Elevation ◽

Locally Adaptive ◽

Elevation Model

Surface roughness is a terrain parameter that has been widely applied to the study of geomorphological processes. One of the main challenges in studying roughness is its highly scale-dependent nature. Determining appropriate mapping scales in topographically heterogenous landscapes can be difficult. A method is presented for estimating multiscale surface roughness based on the standard deviation of surface normals. This method utilizes scale partitioning and integral image processing to isolate scales of surface complexity. The computational efficiency of the method enables high scale sampling density and identification of maximum roughness for each grid cell in a digital elevation model (DEM). The approach was applied to a 0.5 m resolution LiDAR DEM of a 210 km2 area near Brantford, Canada. The case study demonstrated substantial heterogeneity in roughness properties. At shorter scales, tillage patterns and other micro-topography associated with ground beneath forest cover dominated roughness scale signatures. Extensive agricultural land-use resulted in 35.6% of the site exhibiting maximum roughness at micro-topographic scales. At larger spatial scales, rolling morainal topography and fluvial landforms, including incised channels and meander cut banks, were associated with maximum surface roughness. This method allowed for roughness mapping at spatial scales that are locally adapted to the topographic context of each individual grid cell within a DEM. Furthermore, the analysis revealed significant differences in roughness characteristics among soil texture categories, demonstrating the practical utility of locally adaptive, scale-optimized roughness.

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Improving maps of ice-sheet surface elevation change using combined laser altimeter and stereoscopic elevation model data

Journal of Glaciology ◽

10.3189/2013jog12j114 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 59 (215) ◽

pp. 524-532 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

J.F. Levinsen ◽

I.M. Howat ◽

C.C. Tscherning

Keyword(s):

Point Clouds ◽

Altimeter Data ◽

Laser Altimeter ◽

Registration Errors ◽

Digital Elevation ◽

Surface Elevation Change ◽

Laser Altimeters ◽

Elevation Changes ◽

Elevation Model ◽

Spot 5

AbstractWe combine the complementary characteristics of laser altimeter data and stereoscopic digital elevation models (DEMs) to construct high-resolution (∼100 m) maps of surface elevations and elevation changes over rapidly changing outlet glaciers in Greenland. Measurements from spaceborne and airborne laser altimeters have relatively low errors but are spatially limited to the ground tracks, while DEMs have larger errors but provide spatially continuous surfaces. The principle of our method is to fit the DEM surface to the altimeter point clouds in time and space to minimize the DEM errors and use that surface to extrapolate elevations away from altimeter flight lines. This reduces the DEM registration errors and fills the gap between the altimeter paths. We use data from ICESat and ATM as well as SPOT 5 DEMs from 2007 and 2008 and apply them to the outlet glaciers Jakobshavn Isbræ (JI) and Kangerdlugssuaq (KL). We find that the main trunks of JI and KL lowered at rates of 30–35 and 7–20 m a−1,respectively. The rates decreased inland. The corresponding errors were 0.3–5.2 m a−1for JI and 0.3–5.1 m a−1for KL, with errors increasing proportionally with distance from the altimeter paths.

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Pluri-decadal (1955–2014) evolution of glacier–rock glacier transitional landforms in the central Andes of Chile (30–33° S)

Earth Surface Dynamics ◽

10.5194/esurf-5-493-2017 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 5 (3) ◽

pp. 493-509 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Sébastien Monnier ◽

Christophe Kinnard

Keyword(s):

Feature Tracking ◽

Central Andes ◽

Image Feature ◽

Rock Glacier ◽

Aerial Photos ◽

Surface Displacements ◽

Digital Elevation ◽

Elevation Changes ◽

Elevation Model ◽

Displacement Patterns

Abstract. Three glacier–rock glacier transitional landforms in the central Andes of Chile are investigated over the last decades in order to highlight and question the significance of their landscape and flow dynamics. Historical (1955–2000) aerial photos and contemporary (> 2000) Geoeye satellite images were used together with common processing operations, including imagery orthorectification, digital elevation model generation, and image feature tracking. At each site, the rock glacier morphology area, thermokarst area, elevation changes, and horizontal surface displacements were mapped. The evolution of the landforms over the study period is remarkable, with rapid landscape changes, particularly an expansion of rock glacier morphology areas. Elevation changes were heterogeneous, especially in debris-covered glacier areas with large heaving or lowering up to more than ±1 m yr−1. The use of image feature tracking highlighted spatially coherent flow vector patterns over rock glacier areas and, at two of the three sites, their expansion over the studied period; debris-covered glacier areas are characterized by a lack of movement detection and/or chaotic displacement patterns reflecting thermokarst degradation; mean landform displacement speeds ranged between 0.50 and 1.10 m yr−1 and exhibited a decreasing trend over the studied period. One important highlight of this study is that, especially in persisting cold conditions, rock glaciers can develop upward at the expense of debris-covered glaciers. Two of the studied landforms initially (prior to the study period) developed from an alternation between glacial advances and rock glacier development phases. The other landform is a small debris-covered glacier having evolved into a rock glacier over the last half-century. Based on these results it is proposed that morphological and dynamical interactions between glaciers and permafrost and their resulting hybrid landscapes may enhance the resilience of the mountain cryosphere against climate change.

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Estimation of surface depression storage capacity from surface roughness

10.5194/hess-2019-74 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Mohamed A. M. Abd Elbasit ◽

Chandra S. P. Ojha ◽

Majed M. Abu-Zerig ◽

Hiroshi Yasuda ◽

Liu Gang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Surface Roughness ◽

Rainwater Harvesting ◽

Soil Surface ◽

Coefficient Of Determination ◽

Statistical Regression ◽

Random Roughness ◽

Soil Surface Roughness ◽

Simulated Rain ◽

Mass Balance Approach ◽

Surface Depression

Abstract. Depression storage models found in the literature were developed using statistical regression for relatively large soil surface roughness and slope values resulting in several fitting parameters. In this research, we developed and tested a conceptual model to estimate surface depression storage having small roughness values usually encountered in rainwater harvesting microcatchments in arid regions with only one fitting parameter. Laboratory impermeable surfaces of 30 × 30 cm2 were constructed with four sizes of gravel and mortar resulting in random roughness values ranged from 0.9 to 6.3 mm. A series of laboratory experiments were conducted under 9 slope values using simulated rain. Depression storage for each combination of relative roughness and slope were estimated by mass balance approach. Analysis of experimental results indicated that the developed linear model between DSC and the square root of the ration of random roughness (RR) to slope was significant at probability value of 0.001 and coefficient of determination R2 = 0.90. The developed model predicted depression storage of small relief at higher accuracy compared to other models found in the literature.

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Erosion Process and Temporal Variations in the Soil Surface Roughness of Spoil Heaps under Multi-Day Rainfall Simulation

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs12142192 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (14) ◽

pp. 2192

Author(s):

Jiaorong Lv ◽

Yongsheng Xie ◽

Han Luo

Keyword(s):

Surface Roughness ◽

Erosion Rate ◽

Soil Surface ◽

Rainfall Event ◽

Rainfall Simulation ◽

Rainfall Events ◽

Erosion Processes ◽

Spoil Heap ◽

Soil Surface Roughness ◽

Spoil Heaps

The extensive artificially accelerated erosion of spoil heaps on newly engineered landforms is a key ecological management point requiring better understanding. Soil surface roughness is a crucial factor influencing erosion processes; however, study on spoil heap erosion with a view of surface roughness is lacking. This study investigated the erosion processes and the spatiotemporal variation of surface roughness on spoil heaps, and then, analyzed how the roughness affected the hydrological and sediment yield characteristics. Sequences of four artificial rainstorms with constant rainfall intensity (90 mm/h) were applied to cone-shaped spoil heaps (ground radius 3.5 m, height 2.3 m) of a loess soil containing 30 mass percent rock fragments. The surface elevation was sampled by a laser scanner. For the surface roughness indicators, the root mean square height (rmsh) and the correlation length (cl) increased sharply during the first rainfall event, and in the last three rainfall events, rmsh increased slightly and cl showed a relative decrease. The initial rmsh/cl of the whole slope surface ranged from 0.063 to 0.135, and increased with the rainfall sequence, thus, indicating that the spoil heap surface became rougher. Increasing soil roughness in the rainfall sequence delayed the initial runoff time and increased the runoff yield. The average runoff coefficient of the spoil heaps was 0.658. The average erosion rate of each rainfall event can be simulated by a regression equation of the corresponding average runoff rate and median cl (R-square of 0.816). Soil slumping with an average volume of 0.014 m3 occurred in the first two rainfall events, thus, significantly changing the roughness and peak instant erosion rate. Together, the results revealed the effects of surface roughness on the erosion of spoil heaps and would provide a useful reference for soil loss prediction and control.

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Elevation changes (1949–1995) of Black Rapids Glacier, Alaska, derived from a multi-baseline InSAR DEM and historical maps

Journal of Glaciology ◽

10.3189/002214310793146278 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 56 (198) ◽

pp. 625-634 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Dan H. Shugar ◽

Bernhard T. Rabus ◽

John J. Clague

Keyword(s):

Phase Unwrapping ◽

Historical Maps ◽

Center Line ◽

Alaska Range ◽

Ground Survey ◽

Digital Elevation ◽

Maximum Elevation ◽

Elevation Changes ◽

Black Rapids Glacier ◽

Elevation Model

AbstractWe have constructed a new digital elevation model (DEM) of the 1995 surface of Black Rapids Glacier, a surge-type glacier in the central Alaska Range, using ERS-1/-2 repeat-pass interferometry. We isolated the topographic phase from three interferograms with contrasting perpendicular baselines. Numerous phase-unwrapping errors caused by areas of poor coherence were corrected in all three interferograms, using a novel, iterative, semi-automated approach that capitalizes on the multi-baseline nature of the dataset. Comparison of our DEM with a 1949 US Geological Survey DEM and with 1973–95 ground survey data shows the gradual return of Black Rapids Glacier to a pre-surge hypsometry following a surge in 1936/37. Maximum elevation changes along the glacier center line in the ablation and accumulation areas are, respectively, −249 and +63 m (−5.4 and +1.4 m a−1). Maximum elevation changes of survey points at nearby locations are −4.9 m a−1 (1975–84) and +0.5 m a−1 (1975–85). Center-line thickening of +62 m between 1949 and 1995 (+1.4 m a−1), just above the Loket tributary in the upper part of the ablation zone, indicates dynamic thickening following the 1936/37 surge.

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Glacier mass balance over the central Nyainqentanglha Range during recent decades derived from remote-sensing data

Journal of Glaciology ◽

10.1017/jog.2019.20 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 65 (251) ◽

pp. 422-439 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

KUNPENG WU ◽

SHIYIN LIU ◽

ZONGLI JIANG ◽

JUNLI XU ◽

JUNFENG WEI

Keyword(s):

Mass Balance ◽

Remote Sensing Data ◽

Shuttle Radar Topography Mission ◽

Topographic Maps ◽

Glacier Mass Balance ◽

Glacier Area ◽

Ice Surface ◽

Digital Elevation ◽

Elevation Changes ◽

Elevation Model

ABSTRACTTo obtain information on changes in glacier mass balance in the central Nyainqentanglha Range, a comprehensive study was carried out based on digital-elevation models derived from the 1968 topographic maps, the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission DEM (2000) and TerraSAR-X/TanDEM-X (2013). Glacier area changes between 1968 and 2016 were derived from topographic maps and Landsat OLI images. This showed the area contained 715 glaciers, with an area of 1713.42 ± 51.82 km2, in 2016. Ice cover has been shrinking by 0.68 ± 0.05% a−1 since 1968. The glacier area covered by debris accounted for 11.9% of the total and decreased in the SE–NW directions. Using digital elevation model differencing and differential synthetic aperture radar interferometry, a significant mass loss of 0.46 ± 0.10 m w.e. a−1 has been recorded since 1968; mass losses accelerated from 0.42 ± 0.20 m w.e. a−1 to 0.60 ± 0.20 m w.e. a−1 between 1968–2000 and 2000–2013, with thinning noticeably greater on the debris-covered ice than the clean ice. Surface-elevation changes can be influenced by ice cliffs, as well as debris cover and land- or lake-terminating glaciers. Changes showed spatial and temporal heterogeneity and a substantial correlation with climate warming and decreased precipitation.

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Use of historical elevation data to calculate surface-elevation and volume changes of Ha-Iltzuk Icefield, southwest British Columbia, Canada, 1970 to mid-1980s

Annals of Glaciology ◽

10.3189/172756411799096213 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 52 (59) ◽

pp. 109-115 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Jeffrey A. VanLooy ◽

Richard R. Forster

Keyword(s):

British Columbia ◽

Average Rate ◽

Meteorological Data ◽

Surface Elevation ◽

Volume Changes ◽

Digital Elevation ◽

Elevation Data ◽

Elevation Changes ◽

Elevation Model ◽

Thinning Rate

AbstractInvestigations into glacial changes, including understanding variations in the rates of glacial volume and surface-elevation changes, have increased over the past decade. This study uses historical glacier elevation data in the form of topographic maps from 1970 and a digital elevation model from the mid-1980s to calculate surface-elevation and volume changes for Ha-Iltzuk Icefield, southwest British Columbia, Canada. Results indicate that the icefield thinned at an average rate of 0.76±0.25 ma–1 during this period. A previous study of Ha-Iltzuk Icefield also using the geodetic method found a thinning rate of 1.0±0.20ma–1 between the mid-1980s and 1999, indicating a slight increase in the amount of icefield thinning. Within the ablation zone, thinning increased with decreasing elevation at a rate of 1.9±0.68 ma–1 km–1 between these two periods (1970 to mid-1980s versus mid-1980s to 1999). Analysis of meteorological data suggests that increases in both temperature and rainfall, as well as decreases in snowfall, likely contributed to the increased thinning rate.

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