Use of Digital Elevation Models to understand and map glacial landforms — The case of the Canigou Massif (Eastern Pyrenees, France)

Abstract

This paper presents an improved geomorphological methodology that uses remotely-sensed data, a Geographical Information System and a brief field campaign to allow rapid, yet, precise mapping as well as interpretation and analysis of glacial earth surface morphology in high mountain areas. The study area consists of the Quaternary-glaciated part of the Coumelade valley (Canigou massif, eastern Pyrenees, France), which ranges between 1450 and 2731 m a.s.l. A topographical-map-derived Digital Elevation Model was used for analyzing glacial landforms by extracting the slope gradient, valley profiles and the slope aspect. The results were gradually refined from the interpretations of aerial photograph and the field investigation. Glacial landforms are present above 1500 m a.s.l. and include glacial and nivation cirques, cirque and latero–frontal moraines (7.7 × 10 6 m³) and micro-scale landforms such as chattermarks, crescent grooves and polished surfaces. The geomorphological investigation reveals that the Quaternary glaciation of the Coumelade valley remained limited, resulting in a low denudation rate of 0.011 mm yr − 1 over the last glacial cycle.