Evaluación de los aportes de la fotogrametría terrestre en el estudio de glaciares de escombros (cordón del Plata, Mendoza, Argentina)

Abstract

“Evaluation of the photogrammetry contribution in the studies of rock gla- ciers (Cordón del Plata, Mendoza, Argentina)”. This work investigates the potential and limits of terrestrial photogrammetry for studying rock glacier dynamics, and more especifically its interannual surface changes. Using a rather simple digital photogrammetric workflow, the restitution of two 3D-models was done thanks to multi-correlation of more than 100 images acquired in summers 2013 and 2014 on an active rock glacier in the Argentinian Andes. The quality of the output datasets is evaluated by comparing to GPS data collected on artifi- cial targets (XYZ) and along tracks (Z). Based on these results, we can consider ± 0.24 m as the margin of error that has to be taken into account to assess the surface changes between the two Digital Elevation Models (DEMs). Vertical differences affecting the rock glacier front over the 15 months time lapse can then be quantified and interpreted in terms of geo- morphological processes.