Remote sensing applications for the assessment of the geomorphic response of fluvial systems to the Holocene Climate Changes

A multi-sensor remote sensing approach reveals that the Tigris-Euphrates river system in southern Iraq, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site 'The Ahwar of Southern Iraq,' exhibits a unique geomorphic configuration where channels rise several meters above the surrounding floodplain. This study identifies active and abandoned avulsion processes, crevasse channels, levees, and deposits, providing insights into the system's response to Holocene climate changes, shoreline shifts, and human activities. The research utilizes optical and multispectral imagery (TerraColor and Landsat 8) for visual inspection and multispectral indices (NDVI and Clay Ratio), alongside supervised classification and topographic analysis of two DEMs (AW30D30 and GDEM2). This method allows large- and medium-scale investigation, distinguishing between natural and human-induced features to evaluate their interactions.

Iacobucci, G. (2021). Remote sensing applications for the assessment of the geomorphic response of fluvial systems to the Holocene Climate Changes. Rendiconti Online Della Società Geologica Italiana, 55, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.3301/rol.2021.11