Remote sensing methods as a base for landform and soil maps of the Iranian loess plateau

• Applicant: Dr. Dirk Hoffmeister
• Subject Area: Physical Geography ; Geodesy, Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing, Geoinformatics, Cartography
• Term: from 2015 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 277545894

The so called Iranian loess plateau, located in the Turkmen steppe of Northern Iran, is a unique landscape covered by loess, up to at least 70 m thick. Recent sedimentological and geochronologcial investigations show that these loess deposits have high value as records of Quaternary landscape evolution and climate change. In addition, these deposits provide a link between loess deposits in Southeastern Europe and Central Asia and are thus of large importance for stratigraphic correlation. The loess plateau covers an area of about 2250 km2 and is located in the interfluve of the rivers Gorgan and Atrek, which drain the Northern Alborz Mountains and the eastern part of the Kopeh Dagh ridges. Tectonic uplift, deep erosion and valley incision into the loess and underlying strata caused the pronounced relief of the loess plateau. The ridges rise to about 80 m above the valley floors and mostly consist of loess. Frequent loess wells, sink holes, pipes and gullies reflect intense erosion processes at the land surface and below. Soil development strongly relates to slope aspect, because on northern slopes vegetation protects the soil surface against erosion and facilitates formation and preservation of a Cambisol, whereas on south-facing slopes soils were probably eroded and weakly developed Entisols formed. Very limited spatial information is available on the soil and plant cover and the relief features of the plateau, as well as on potentials and problems in land use. For the comprehensive documentation, analysis and interpretation of the landform, land use and soil distribution within the loess plateau, remote sensing may provide crucial data and tools. Different sources of remote sensing data must be regarded. Here, high-resolution stereo satellite imagery will be used to derive detailed digital elevation models (1 m) for the heterogeneous landscape in two test areas. Furthermore, other available multi- and hyperspectral satellite imagery will be used to derive information for the entire loess plateau. The data will enable to establish maps of a certain area containing information on landform features, lithology and land use. The derived parameters can be further used for the derivation of digital soil maps of the proposed area. In particular, the applicability and accuracy of high-resolution remote sensing data (1 m) for this specific relief will be evaluated by a comparison to data of a field campaign that involves terrestrial laser scanning, DGPS trenching and ground truth mapping. The compilation of different data sources will enhance our knowledge on the spatial distribution of relief features, lithological units, soils and vegetation in the loess plateau as well as on the geomorphological evolution of this remote region.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Iran
• Cooperation Partners: Professor Dr. Martin Kehl; Professor Dr. Farhad Khormali