GIS and remote sensing techniques applicability in aeolian coastal research

The lack of high quality, long-term field data has hampered the quantitative analysis of beach-dune systems, which has been partially overcome during the last decade by utilizing video imaginary to monitor long-term variations of rip currents, sand bars, or shoreline position. The use of remote sensing techniques in Aeolian research is at a very starting point though, and researchers are now realizing its potential for measuring fetch distances or moisture content at the beach. This paper reports on the application of remote sensing techniques and GIS to model Aeolian processes. Digital SLR cameras have been installed at Greenwich Dunes in PEI National Park and at Long Point in Lake Erie (Canada), each one taking hourly-continuous exposures of the beach and dune at both sites. A set of post processing techniques with PCI Geomatica and GIS is applied to each of the images, resulting in several raster layers of numerical information, such as detailed moisture maps or vegetation cover. Steps in the process go from the rectification of the images into UTM coordinates maps to the correction of brightness of each exposure to account for environmental brightness conditions. Wind speed and direction are also incorporated into the cellular modeling. Because of the ability to model parameters affecting sediment transport both spatially and temporally, GIS opens the opportunity to introduce environmental complexities that result from the interaction of factors at different scales. It also offers the chance to approach concepts such as fetch length or critical fetch from a more complex perspective.