Tracking the behavior of rocky coastal cliffs in northwestern Spain

Abstract

Rocky coastal regions are often inaccessible due to steep slopes and high relief. Remotely sensed data can, therefore, be useful, but they often have low spatial and temporal resolution and, in the case of airborne LiDAR, if not publically available, are costly to obtain. This paper reports on the use of high-resolution images from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetric techniques, supplemented by a series of orthophotos and aerial LiDAR, to examine changes in rocky coastal cliffs from 2002 to 2018. The study was conducted over an 800 m-long, orthogneiss-dominated coastal section in northwestern Galicia, Spain. Cliff changes are due, primarily, to rockfalls, resulting from weathering and wave undercutting, which cause talus deposits to accumulate at the cliff foot. These deposits provide temporary protection to the cliff from wave action, until destabilized and removed by wave erosion and shallow landslides. Cliff recession rates are affected by changing conditions within a cycle and are dependent, in part, on when a survey is conducted. The data suggest that rates of cliff recession are increasing in this region and that the plan shape of the coast, which consists of headlands and bays, is continuing to evolve. Most coastal landslides in this region help to transport and dispose of talus fallen from the cliff. In contrast to landslides that remove intact materials from the cliff face, and are, therefore, primary erosional mechanisms, talus landslides are triggered by wave erosion and probably simultaneously, by storm wave spray and splash, rather than by heavy rainfall.