Abstract

PETSCH, Carina et al. Geomorphon Method Applied to Antártica: Identification of Paraglacial Relief Forms of Macro and Meso-Scale, King George Island, South Shetlands Islands. Cuad. Geogr. Rev. Colomb. Geogr. [online]. 2022, vol.31, n.1, pp.108-127.  Epub Sep 06, 2022. ISSN 0121-215X.  https://doi.org/10.15446/rcdg.v31n1.85644.

With the retraction of glaciers in maritime Antártica, and the climate change scenarios, it is necessary to understand the geomorphological processes at work in these recently exposed areas. The purpose of the article is to present the Geomorphon Method for Antártica (Geomorphon Method Revised to Antártica-GMA) applied to the mapping of landforms in the ice-free areas of King George Island. The classification evaluation was carried out based on the interpretation of the MDE and on the field work carried out in 2015 and 2016. The relief elements identified by the GMA were related to the erosive and depositional forms of the glacial genesis macro scale, as valleys, aretes, horns and meso-scale, such as glaciofluvial channels, moraines of advance and recession, and even those of paraglacial and marine genesis. Frontal advancing moraines were identified in all areas, except for the Ecology glacier paraglacial system, and together with the mapped U-valleys, they indicate the old direction of flow of the glaciers, and places where there was greater thickness of ice. The identification of these forms contributes to studies that evaluate the succession of changes in the landscape with the recent retraction of glacial systems, proving the potential of GMA.

Keywords : automatic classification; glacial geomorphology; South Shetland Islands; digital elevation models; paraglacial processes.

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