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Developments in Salt Marsh Topography Analysis Using Airborne Infrared Photography

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Remote Sensing and Modeling

Part of the book series: Coastal Research Library ((COASTALRL,volume 9))

Abstract

Salt marshes occur throughout the extra-tropical regions of the world, along low energy shores, where a surplus of fine sediment is available, and they have been estimated as some of the most valuable ecosystems on Earth. They exhibit complex topographies primarily modelled by hydrodynamics which, in turn, determine geobiophysical processes and the pattern of occurring communities. This makes accurate salt marsh topography a prerequisite for the understanding of their function and structure. Only recently, have remote-sensing techniques become widely available to obtain high-resolution topographic data in an environment otherwise extremely arduous to access. Still, extraction of bare-earth surface remains difficult and especially problematic in areas of dense vegetation. LiDAR data, although widely in use still isn’t readily available worldwide and requires intensive post-processing and validation.

A detailed digital elevation model (DEM) of the Duplin River (Georgia, Southeastern USA) was constructed with a 1 m2 resolution. The model was created by the classification and analysis of a time-series of 7 IR (infrared) aerial photographic mosaics taken at 1 h intervals from low- to high-water during a rising tide. The technique is based on the premise that flooded areas can be objectively recognized through image analysis and that the water surface is horizontal throughout the system, thereby defining a reference level at any given time. We focus on the description of the method, and results from its use in a large intertidal area. We also discuss the advantages of the method and its shortcomings when applied to vegetated intertidal areas, and propose further developments and applications.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Animations of the water-level changes in each of the domains shown in Fig. 13.4 throughout the tidal phase from LW to HW can be made available. The rapid increase in surface area, as well as other features, is clearly visualized in these animations.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Mike Robinson at Skidaway Institute of Oceanography for doing preliminary calculations of water areas, Steven Pennings and Tim Hollibaugh for their support to develop the DEM for the Duplin River. Daniela Di Iorio, Paul McKay and Ken Helm for providing the sub-surface pressure data to relate overflights time to water level. Christine Hladik provided the RTK data used to gauge the DEM. We acknowledge funding from the National Science Foundation (OCE 99-82133), which funded the aerial mission as well as the analyses reported here. We are also grateful to the following agencies that supported the work described in this paper: the Georgia Coastal Zone Management Program (Grant No. RR100-279/9262764), the Department of Energy (Contract No. DE-AC09-96SR18500), and the Luso-American Foundation (FLAD), which funded travelling of the Portuguese co-authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Oceanografia – Laboratório Marítimo da Guia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Nª.Srª. do Cabo, 939, Cascais, 2750-374, Portugal

    Francisco Andrade

  2. Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, 10 Ocean Science Circle, Savannah, GA, 31411, USA

    Jackson Blanton & Julie Amft

  3. Laboratório Marítimo da Guia, Instituto do Mar, Av. Nª Srª do Cabo, 939, Cascais, 2750-374, Portugal

    M. Adelaide Ferreira

Authors
  1. Francisco Andrade
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  2. Jackson Blanton
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  3. M. Adelaide Ferreira
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  4. Julie Amft
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Francisco Andrade .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, USA

    Charles W. Finkl

  2. Coastal Education & Research Foundation, Coconut Creek, Florida, USA

    Christopher Makowski

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Andrade, F., Blanton, J., Ferreira, M.A., Amft, J. (2014). Developments in Salt Marsh Topography Analysis Using Airborne Infrared Photography. In: Finkl, C., Makowski, C. (eds) Remote Sensing and Modeling. Coastal Research Library, vol 9. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-06326-3_13

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