Remote Sensing Analysis of Erosion in Arctic Coastal Areas of Alaska and Eastern Siberia

Juan Wang,Aiqin Shi,Dongling Li,Huaguo Zhang,Xiulin Lou,Wenting Cao

doi:10.3390/rs14030589

Abstract

In this study, remote sensing analysis of coastal erosion is conducted for three typical regions of Alaska and Eastern Siberia based on remote sensing data collected between 1974 and 2017. The comparative studies were made on the difference in coastal erosion at different latitudes and the difference and influencing factors in coastal erosion at similar latitudes. The coastline retreatment is used to indicate coastal erosion. It is found that the most extensive erosion occurred along Alaska’s coast, followed by that of the Eastern Siberian coasts. Based on the analysis of the historical time series of snow and ice as well as climate data, it is found that at similar latitudes, the erosion of the Arctic coasts is closely related to the trend and fluctuations of the sea surface temperature (SST). Specifically, it is found that in Alaska, coastal erosion is closely related to the fluctuation of the SST, while in Eastern Siberia, it is related to the increasing or decreasing trend of the SST. A decreasing trend is associated with low coastal erosion, whereas an increasing trend is associated with accelerated coastal erosion. In the Arctic, the strong fluctuations of the SST, the continuous decline of the sea ice cover, and the consequent increase of the significant wave height are the critical factors that cause changes in coastal permafrost and coastal erosion.

Highlights

Academic Editors: Martin Gade andThe Arctic consists of the ice-covered Arctic Ocean, surrounded by a ring of frozen land
In [8], remote sensing analysis is used to determine the changes along the Beaufort Sea coast and it is found that the Drew Point coast was eroded by 900 m during the period of 1955–2005, and that the erosion rate documented during the period of 1985–2005 was more than double the rate documented during the period of 1955–1985
At Nutepel’men, Eastern Siberia, extensive coastal erosion was only observed along the estuarine coastlines during the period of 1975–2017, and no significant erosion occurred at its other sites

Summary

Introduction

The Arctic consists of the ice-covered Arctic Ocean, surrounded by a ring of frozen land. The Arctic coastline is highly convoluted with many types of coastlines, including steep cliffs, fjords, abrasions, lowlands, and delta coasts. Arctic coasts differ from lowlatitude coasts in that they are covered by snow and ice from rivers and oceans. Arctic sea ice is retreating rapidly, raising prospects of a future ice-free Arctic Ocean during summer [1,2]. Arctic coasts have been undergoing continuous erosion, which is caused by the combined action of global warming–induced factors including the increase of ice melting, thermal erosion, and subsidence thawing permafrost and sea-level rise (IPCC, 2021). Sediment from increased snow melt is attributed to river discharge in continually changing estuarine coastlines [3,4]

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion