TY  - JOUR
A1  - Müting, Friederike Ariane
A1  - Bookhagen, Bodo
A1  - Strecker, Manfred
T1  - Identification of debris-flow channels using high-resolution topographic data
T2  - Journal of geophysical research : JGR, Earth surface
N2  - Resolving Earth's surface at the meter scale is essential for an improved understanding of the dynamics of mass-movement processes. In this study, we explore the applicability and potential of digital elevation models (DEMs) derived from stereophotogrammetry to detect debris-flow channels in the Quebrada del Toro in the northwestern Argentine Andes. Our analysis relies on a high-resolution (3 m) DEM created from SPOT-7 tri-stereo satellite data. We carefully validated DEM quality with ∼6,000 differential GPS points and identified optimal parameters for DEM generation in high-relief terrain. After multiple processing steps, we achieved an accuracy of 0.051 ± 1.915 m (1σ) using n = 3,139 control points with cm precision. Previous studies have used the drainage area and slope framework to identify topographic signatures of debris flows within a catchment. We built upon this and investigated individual river-channel segments using connected-component (CC) analysis on meter-scale topographic data. We define CC as segments of similar slope along the channel profile. Based on seven manually identified debris-flow catchments, we developed a debris-flow similarity index using component length and mean channel-segment slope and identified channel segments that have likely been shaped by debris flows. The presented approach has the potential to resolve intra-catchment variability of transport processes, allows to constrain the extent of debris-flow channels more precisely than slope-area analysis, and highlights the versatility of combined space- and field-based observations for natural-hazard assessments.
Y1  - 2021
UR  - https://publishup.uni-potsdam.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/56822
SN  - 2169-9003
SN  - 2169-9011
VL  - 126
IS  - 12
PB  - American Geophysical Union
CY  - Washington
ER  -