Desert pavements are widespread geomorphic features in drylands, but their distribution and characteristics have not been adequately characterized. They play a critical role in the atmospheric dust cycle where they control dust emission and entrainment. Against this backdrop, the goal of this project is to map the distribution and physical characteristics of desert pavements and related stone-armored surfaces using field evidences, terrain analysis and remote sensing data, and machine-learning models. Our focus is on Namibia, where we start from an initial distribution assessment generated by GIS-based multicriteria suitability analysis.
Ground-truth data acquisition is conducted as an extensive field survey to document desert pavements across regional environmental gradients. Following zigzag transects, we record pavement characteristics including surface roughness, clast size and weathering features, and geomorphic information including micro-topography and signs of water erosion. Special emphasis is placed on the detection and characterization of vesicular horizons discriminating desert pavements against other stone-armored surfaces. We use UAV photogrammetry as well as ground-level optical and thermal surface imaging for detailed documentation and to facilitate precise local-scale analyses. These ground-truth observations will provide a representative empirical basis for analyzing pavement-forming processes and will support the development of a hybrid geospatial artificial intelligence (GeoAI) framework that integrates optical and thermal remote sensing data with terrain attributes derived from digital elevation models for digital soil mapping at a high spatial resolution.
As a preparatory step guiding the field surveys, we refine our recently proposed Desert Pavement Potential Index (DPPI) by incorporating additional environmental constraints. The updated index (DPPI v2) integrates a diurnal soil temperature range layer and a desert bloom index (DBI) into the existing index that is based on general precipitation, vegetation, soil texture, and disturbance patterns. The DBI, derived from a 26-year MODIS NDVI archive, allows stable pavements to be distinguished from surfaces that experience episodic greening and thus root development. A preliminary validation, limited to areas where the original DPPI suggested geomorphically plausible pavement conditions (DPPI ≥ 0.75) so as to avoid trivial contrasts with clearly unsuitable or vegetated surfaces and thereby enable a more meaningful assessment, indicates a considerable improvement in discrimination skill (area under the ROC curve: 0.864 for DPPI v2 vs. 0.779 with the original index). Visual comparison further shows that DPPI v2 produces a spatially more constrained and geomorphically coherent envelope of pavement-favorable conditions.
Taken together, the combination of field observations with multi-source GeoAI models is expected to provide a scalable framework for mapping desert pavements in Namibia, which will improve the representation of surface processes in atmospheric dust modeling.
How to cite: Bourriz, M. and Brenning, A.: Toward High-Resolution Mapping of Desert Pavements: Field Surveys and First Results from Namibia, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-2032, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-2032, 2026.
Aotearoa New Zealand’s dynamic geological landscape, shaped by complex tectonic activity, rapid uplift, and diverse climatic conditions, provides an exceptionally valuable environment for the application of trapped-charge methods across multiple Earth science disciplines. While significant trapped-charge research has already been conducted in New Zealand, substantial opportunities remain to expand this work. Techniques such as optically and infrared stimulated luminescence (OSL and IRSL) and electron spin resonance (ESR), employed for sediment and bedrock dating, rock-surface exposure dating, burial dating, palaeothermometry, or low-temperature thermochronometry, offer powerful tools for investigating geological and geomorphological processes across timescales ranging from decades to millions of years.
In surficial deposits, luminescence and ESR dating can constrain soil development and sediment stratigraphy, as well as the timing of processes such as sand dune migration, fluvial terrace formation, landslides, glacial retreat, archaeological site occupation, and coastal progradation. Single-grain and multi-signal approaches enable reconstruction of sediment transport pathways, provenance analysis, and deposition rates, providing insight into river dynamics, earthquake-triggered liquefaction, and the recurrence of mass-wasting events. When applied to bedrock and fault zones, trapped-charge thermochronometry and rock-surface dating can record low-temperature cooling histories, uplift rates, exhumation patterns, and fault activity, bridging the temporal gap between short-term surface processes and long-term crustal evolution, and offering complementary insights into the interplay between tectonics, climate, and landscape evolution.
Trapped-charge methods can also support geothermal studies and paleoclimate reconstructions, linking surface processes to tectonic and climatic forcing across New Zealand’s diverse environments. By integrating these trapped-charge techniques with geological, geomorphic, and geodetic observations, we can gain a deeper understanding of landscape evolution, active tectonics, seismic hazards, and resource management in the geologically active region of Aotearoa New Zealand.
How to cite: Bouscary, C., Nicol, A., and Shulmeister, J.: Luminescence dating and thermochronometry for Earth science applications in Aotearoa New Zealand: opportunities and potential, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-19314, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-19314, 2026.
The Hantan River basin (central–northern Korean Peninsula) is characterized by a Quaternary volcanic–fluvial landscape in which basaltic lava flows repeatedly overlie unconsolidated fluvial deposits. Beneath these lava flows, the Baeguiri Formation consists of channelized fluvial conglomerates and sands with associated overbank silts and clays, unconformably overlying Devonian basement units. While the emplacement ages of overlying basalts are relatively well constrained by K–Ar and 40Ar/39Ar dating, the depositional and burial timing of the underlying fluvial conglomerates remains poorly constrained and controversial. Previous age estimates for the Baeguiri Formation, derived indirectly from basalt contact ages, fission-track, and TL/OSL methods, provide only partial constraints and may be affected by inheritance, post-depositional reworking, and uncertainty in the time lag between sediment deposition and lava burial.
To directly date the burial of the fluvial conglomerates and to assess potential temporal heterogeneity among key outcrops, we apply cosmogenic radionuclide (CRN) burial dating using paired 10Be and 26Al measurements on quartz-bearing gravel from conglomeratic units of the Baeguiri Formation at four representative sites in the Hantan River system: Eundaeri (Chatan Stream tributary), Baeguigyo Bridge, Jangjingyo Bridge, and Hantangang Dam along the mainstem Hantan River. At all sites, the conglomerates are fully covered by multi-meter-thick basalt flows, locally associated with pillow lavas and slabby flow-top structures, indicating rapid burial and long-term attenuation of cosmic-ray exposure. Burial ages are calculated using isochron approaches to account for variable pre-burial exposure histories and possible partial reworking within fluvial deposits.
The resulting burial ages provide direct chronological constraints on the timing of isolation of the Baeguiri Formation from surface processes, allowing us to (1) Test whether burial of the fluvial conglomerates by basalt flows was synchronous across different outcrops, (2) Quantify spatial and temporal heterogeneity in sedimentation–burial events within the Baeguiri Formation, and (3) Evaluate implications for refining stratigraphic relationships between fluvial deposits and multi-stage basalt emplacement in the Hantan River volcanic–fluvial succession. This study highlights the effectiveness of CRN burial dating for directly constraining the age of basalt-buried fluvial conglomerates in complex Quaternary volcanic plateaus.
How to cite: Choi, Y., Lee, H., Lee, T.-H., and Han, M.: Cosmogenic 10Be–26Al Isochron Burial Dating of Basalt-Capped Fluvial Deposits in the Hantan River Basin, Korea, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-2298, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-2298, 2026.
The Republic of Moldova is known for the high frequency of landslides on small slopes and within agricultural areas. As a part of the transboundary research project “The impact of European agricultural policies on land use: Romania's experience and lessons for the Republic of Moldova in a European perspective – MapLURoMd”, this study aims to evaluate the spatial distribution of landslides in Anenii Noi District, Republic of Moldova, using GIS-based analysis and field verification. The research is based on 2020 orthophotographic images, processed in ArcGIS 10.4.1 and validated by GPS-based ground surveys. Landslide occurrence was analysed in relation to three morphometric parameters: slope gradient, altitude, and slope exposure. The applied methodology enabled the identification and mapping of landslide-affected areas and the assessment of their relationship with terrain characteristics. The lithological composition, a known factor for landslide development in general, was not important in our case due to a lack of regional diversity. As a result, several thematic maps were generated, including landslide distribution, altitude, slope, and slope exposure maps. The proportion of areas affected by landslides within different morphometric classes was also quantified. The results highlight zones of increased landslide susceptibility, providing valuable support for landslide risk mitigation, territorial planning, and land management within the Republic of Moldova's agricultural development policy.
How to cite: Cantir, A., Chiriac, I., Crivova, O., Curcubat, S., Sirodoev, G., Cracu, G.-M., Nicoara, R.-G., Paraschiv, M., Schvab, A., Secareanu, G., Vaidianu, N., and Sirodoev, I.: GIS-based landslide susceptibility assessment on low slopes: the case study of Anenii Noi district, the Republic of Moldova, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-7278, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-7278, 2026.
Complex landslides contain internally heterogeneous zones that may respond differently to reactivation, complicating tree-ring based chronologies of slope activity. This study combines dendrogeomorphological analysis with electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) to test whether geophysics-based zonation could explain the spatial variability of tree-ring disturbances within a large complex landslide. ERT profiles and geomorphological mapping delineated three mechanically distinct zones: a downslope shallow-landslide sector (S zone), a moisture-rich gap infilled by weakly consolidated material (G zone), and an adjacent compact block with tension cracks (B zone). In total, 200 Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst) were analysed for reaction wood (RW) and abrupt growth suppression (GS). RW intensity was quantified for each affected ring and GS classified by relative ring-width reduction.
RW clearly dominates across the landslide. The S zone shows the highest stem inclinations and RW intensities, indicating enhanced shallow deformation, whereas RW duration is similar among zones. GS occurs everywhere but is proportionally most frequent in the B zone. Correlation analyses show that in the S and G zones, RW intensity and duration relate significantly to stem inclination, while no significant relationships appear in the B zone.
These results demonstrate that internal landslide heterogeneity, as delineate by ERT, is reflected in tree-ring responses. Geophysics-based zonation offers an effective framework for interpreting growth disturbances and improves dendrogeomorphic reconstructions of complex slope movements.
How to cite: Schlesinger, F. and Šilhán, K.: Geophysics-based landslide zonation explains spatial variability in tree-ring growth disturbances, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-5207, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-5207, 2026.
Many scholars believe that the core part of the Taiwan orogen, with rapid tectonic uplift for millions of years but only 3000 - 4000 m high, has obtained a topographic steady state, in which the tectonic uplift is balanced by erosion. Steady-state topography is expected to be dominated by steep slopes reaching the angle of repose. With this new notion, the existence of gentle slopes/rivers in the core part of the orogen, which has been noted by Japanese scholars a century ago, was recently overlooked, and those gentle landforms were regarded as “transient” features. We thoroughly examined the topography of the orogen and confirmed the observations by the Japanese scholars: (1) the gentle slopes/rivers, surrounded by steep slopes/knickzones downward, are mainly exhibited on or near drainage divides; (2) the gentle rivers show a great range of width and sinuosity; those flowing in wide valleys are commonly associated with ponds or wetlands; (3) the slopes drained by the gentle rivers can be gentle or steep; the gentle slopes are typically underlain by thick, heavily weathered colluviums; (4) many major drainage divides follow rounded ridges with gentle slopes on both sides; (5) the gentle slopes/rivers are widely exhibited throughout the orogen, from north to south, from west to east, and from low to high elevations.
The juxtaposition between the observed gentle slopes/rivers and the steep slopes/knickzones around them has suggested the change of river behavior from incision-limited to incision-dominated, associated with an increase in landslide activity. The spatial configuration of these landforms further shows re-organization of drainage systems, including river capture and its resulting contraction/expansion of catchments, adjusting to the inferred geomorphic change. Through these analyses, we have confidence that the observed gentle slopes/rivers are better treated as relict landforms preserved on/near ridge tops, not “transient” features developed after the loss of catchment areas as suggested by some scholars.
Our inferred geomorphic change fits well with the known thermochronological data and the data from the sediment-hydrogen-isotope-based paleo-topographic studies, which jointly show an acceleration of both crustal denudation and surface uplift starting later than 2 Ma. We propose that the orogen had long been dominated by hills when both tectonic uplift and denudation were slow (< 2 mm/yr). The uplift then accelerated (up to 6 - 8 mm/yr), triggering river incision/landsliding which progressively eroded the gentle slopes/rivers created earlier. Since then, the combined river/hillslope erosion has not been able to balance the tectonic uplift, which allowed the preexisting gentle landforms to be raised to high elevations (as long as they are preserved). Once these gentle landforms were raised to elevations > 3000 m, they facilitated snow accumulation and thus, glaciation, during the last glacial period (i.e. the relict cirques and U-shape valleys currently preserved in the orogen were strongly inherited from the preexisting gentle landforms).
How to cite: Li, F.-Y., Hsieh, M.-L., and Chang, Y.-F.: Overlooked high-elevation gentle slopes/rivers in the rapidly uplifting Taiwan orogen, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-8500, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-8500, 2026.
The origin of the mountains of Norway (the Scandes) is controversial. Here we show that the high-level landscape of the Southern Scandes consists mostly of three extensive, low-relief surfaces separated by escarpments. The surfaces extend across 90,000 km2 and cut across rocks of different lithologies and post-date the Jurassic surface on the slopes of the Southern Scandes. The surfaces are peneplains graded by river erosion to a base level of sea level during the Late Cretaceous, Paleocene and Miocene. They were all subsequently slightly folded, tilted and uplifted to their present elevations of 1000–1400, 1300–1700 and 1600–1900 m, forming a landscape with distinct steps. The final uplift began in the early Pliocene and caused incision of fluvial valleys and exhumation of the Jurassic surface stripped from its protective cover of Jurassic and younger sediments. Many fluvial valleys were reshaped into glacial valleys and fjords during the Quaternary, while the stepped peneplains kept much of their pre-glacial appearance. The Scandes have not remained high since the Caledonian Orogeny, they are not shaped by footwall uplift and the plateau surfaces are not the result of glacial erosion. The repeated episodes of subsidence and uplift, burial and exhumation that shaped the high-level landscape of the Southern Scandes were driven by sub-lithospheric forces and intra-plate stress. This landscape resembles the elevated passive continental margins (EPCMs) that occur globally in all climate zones. The observations reported here provide important constraints on studies of the tectonic development of western Scandinavia and other EPCMs.
How to cite: Bonow, J., Chalmers, J., and Japsen, P.: The High Plains of Southern Norway: Result of Late Mesozoic – Cenozoic Episodic Tectonics, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-10763, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-10763, 2026.
The Central Apennine is a key sector for karst studies in Italy, nevertheless recent systematic mapping of epigean karst landforms remains scarce. Despite extensive research on hypogene karst and springs, there is a lack of region-wide, high-resolution mapping of surface karst features using modern GIS-based approaches. This study addresses that gap by producing a new comprehensive, multiscale investigation, classification and mapping of karst landforms and landscapes in Central Italy (Abruzzo region)
Carbonate terrains, mainly Jurassic–Cretaceous limestones, cover about 70% of the chain sector of the region and are organized into morpho-structural units bounded by active normal faults. These tectonic features have fragmented ancient karst surfaces and influenced the development of endoreic basins and fluvio-karst drainage patterns. To address this complexity, the research workflow combined traditional geomorphological interpretation with semi-automatic detection techniques applied to multiresolution DTMs (10 m and 5 m), supported by 1 m LiDAR data where available.
The methodology was structured across three scale ranges: (i) small scale (1:200,000–1:50,000) for the definition of carbonate karst morpho-units (CKMUs); (ii) intermediate scale (1:50,000–1:25,000) for the delineation of the main karst areas within CKMUs; and (iii) large scale (1:25,000–1:5,000) for detailed mapping and classification of individual landforms. At the lower scale ranges manual remote mapping was used for larger features, whereas at higher scale, semi-automatic procedures were employed to map smaller features. The applied methods included: (i) fill-sinks algorithms for closed depressions (e.g. dolines, uvala); (ii) raster stacking of DTM-derived parameters (Sky View Factor, Topographic Position Index, curvature) for open depressions; and (iii) supervised filtering of karst valleys from the regional drainage network at 1:5,000 scale.
All outputs were validated through remote checks and field surveys in four representative test areas.
The research workflow led to the definition of:
- 12 CKMUs at regional scale, according to tectonic, morphostructural, and hydrogeological boundaries, which also provided criteria for defining additional sub-units;
- 347 main karst areas at intermediate scale, classified into six types based on landforms clustering: (1) areas with solution dolines; (2) areas with collapse dolines; (3) areas with karst valleys; (4) tectono-karst plains; (5) areas with solution dolines and karst valleys; (6) areas with solution dolines and tectono-karst plains;
- 53,887 landforms mapped at large scale, grouped into five classes: (1) 4,371 closed depressions (closed-contour dolines); (2) 30,247 open depressions (open-contour dolines); (3) 130 karst plains (large uvala, small poljes); (4) 14 poljes; and (5) 19,125 karst valleys (dry or blind valleys). Classification thresholds of depressions were based on surface extension (0.04 km² between dolines and karst plains; 2 km² between karst plains and poljes), with few outliers due to manual adjustments. The resulting dataset was compiled into a regional map (represented at 1:100,000 scale) and stored in a geospatial archive.
This integrated approach demonstrates the effectiveness of combining classic and GIS-based techniques for regional-scale karst feature mapping. The new map and archive provide a replicable framework for further studies and an essential tool for hydrogeological modelling, hazard assessment, and geodiversity management.
How to cite: Morelli, F. and Piacentini, T.: Regional mapping of carbonate karst landforms and landscape in Central Apennines (Abruzzo, Central Italy), EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-17764, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-17764, 2026.
Proglacial meltwater systems played a key role in shaping post-glacial landscapes in parts of Lithuania, forming a variety of landforms such as meltwater channels, outwash plains, glaciofluvial valleys, terrace systems and related sedimentary landforms. Although these landforms have been widely described in terms of glacial and proglacial processes, their role in structuring present-day environmental conditions has received comparatively less attention.
In this study, we examine selected proglacial meltwater geomorphic units in Lithuania and explore their environmental properties, with particular emphasis on sedimentological characteristics, soils, vegetation patterns, and land-use structure. Geomorphic units were identified through interpretation of LiDAR-derived digital elevation models supported by geological mapping. These data were combined with spatial information on soils, land cover, and landscape structure to characterise the environmental context of individual units.
The results explore whether and how proglacial meltwater geomorphic units are associated with variations in environmental characteristics within Lithuania’s post-glacial landscapes.
The study considers the relevance of proglacial meltwater geomorphic units as a framework for interpreting landscape organisation and environmental properties. This perspective may contribute to improved landscape interpretation, environmental assessment, and spatial planning in formerly glaciated regions.
How to cite: Kazlauskas, M. and Mačiulaitis, J.: Environmental Properties of Proglacial Meltwater Geomorphic Units in Lithuania’s Post-Glacial Landscapes, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-19801, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-19801, 2026.
Historical maps are a very valuable source of information on the morphology of rivers in an earlier, more natural state. However, these maps provide no or limited information on river depth, whereas knowledge of river depth distribution is required for the calculation of historical bedload. In times when rivers are impacted by multiple pressures on the sediment cycle, such knowledge would help to define a range of realistic bedload supplies required for successful river restoration.
This paper presents a tool that can be used to estimate the elevation distribution of the river bed and the resulting bedload based on active and bankfull channel widths obtained from maps. A power function represents the width-depth curve and is fitted to the mean active and bankfull widths and the respective discharge capacities. The applicability to historical maps of the Upper Drava River was confirmed by archive material on historical lowest flow depths.
How to cite: Klösch, M., Hohensinner, S., Dunst, R., Rindler, R., and Habersack, H.: Estimation of river depths and bedload based on dimensions in plan view, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-20389, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-20389, 2026.
Hard coal spoil heaps form distinctive anthropogenic landforms and highly dynamic geosystems within post-mining landscapes. Their extreme physical-geographical conditions arise from interactions between heterogeneous substrate properties, distinct geomorphic processes, specific hydrological regimes, microclimatic anomalies, and thermal activity. Although thermal activity and contamination have been widely studied due to their environmental relevance, research on spoil heaps remains fragmented and often focused on isolated components of the system. Integrated, holistic approaches that explicitly link individual subsystems are still largely lacking. This contribution presents a synthesis of current global knowledge and introduces a conceptual geosystem model demonstrating that morphometric variables (local relief, slope, and aspect) act as primary drivers of spoil heap dynamics. The model captures cascading interactions among geomorphological, hydrological, thermal, and microclimatic processes and provides a unifying framework for interpreting spoil heaps as complex anthropogenic geosystems. This approach provides a basis for future interdisciplinary research and supports a more systematic understanding of spoil heap evolution, their environmental impacts, and potential future landscape functions.
How to cite: Bedrunková, N. and Lenart, J.: Hard Coal Spoil Heaps as Complex Geosystems: A Conceptual Framework Based on Physical-Geographical Controls, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-5217, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-5217, 2026.
Tunnel valley formation and orientation are primarily controlled by the hydraulic gradient beneath large ice sheets. However, recent onshore studies from Denmark have motivated the hypothesis that deep fault systems may also influence the position and orientation of shallow erosional features like tunnel valleys. Onshore, this hypothesis has been supported by observed similarities in the overall orientation and spatial trends of deep fault systems and shallow erosional features. These correlations have been attributed to reactivation of the faults due to loading and unloading by large ice sheets as well as subtle variations in sediment strength caused by the deep structural features.
Importantly, these onshore studies are based on interpretations of transient electromagnetic data and sparse 2D reflection seismic data. Offshore where reflection seismic data is almost exclusively applied, the onshore methods cannot be applied directly, leaving the question of deep–shallow correlations largely unexplored.
In order to test this hypothesis further, we have gathered previously mapped tunnel valleys and deep geological structures offshore, combined with new interpretations from various reflection seismic data sets and analyzed the orientation and position of the tunnel valleys on both regional and local scale using a geostatistical approach specifically developed for this study. This approach allows us to distinguish between local and regional-scale correlations, which can support the hypothesis offshore while also be applied onshore. The large-scale analysis can also highlight other trends within the extensive suite of buried tunnel valleys in the North Sea, including the influence of salt structures, multiple tunnel valley generations and past ice sheet dynamics.
How to cite: Prins, L. T., Allart, L., Madsen, R. B., Aabø, T. M., Boldreel, L. O., Andresen, K. J., Clausen, O. R., Singhroha, S., and Sandersen, P.: Do deep geological structures influence shallow Quaternary erosional patterns in the North Sea?, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-21128, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-21128, 2026.
