Contribution of Lightweight Revolving Laser Scanner, HiRes UAV LiDARs and photogrammetry for characterization of coastal aeolian morphologies

Garcin, M., Desmazes F., Nicolae-Lerma A., Gouguet, L., Metereau V. 2020. Contribution of Lightweight Revolving Laser Scanner, HiRes UAV LiDARs and photogrammetry for characterization of coastal aeolian morphologies. In: The monitoring of coastal dunes changes in a context of climate change is a major issue for assessment of coastal hazards. While shoreline retreat and beach erosion are generally well characterized within coastal observatories, the monitoring of dunes changes under aeolian-driven processes are frequently neglected. An innovative approach using several diachronic or synchronous acquisitions of UAV LiDAR, UAV photogrammetry, hand Lightweight Revolving Laser Scanner (ZEB) and DGPS has been developed in order to characterize aeolian morphologies and changes. This methodologic paper presents the acquisition protocols and, as results, the methods used in order to determine some relevant dune state descriptors. Photogrammetric and UAV LiDAR acquisitions offer the possibility of a) identification and mapping of the aeolian active areas and morphologies, b) centimetric quantification of diachronic aeolian erosion and deposition, c) determination of rate of change and displacement of dunes, and quantification of the sand volume affected by aeolian transport, d) quantification of erosion induced by human trampling. Finally, ZEB is a complementary tool. It gives the possibility of the characterization and analysis of changes of small size aeolian morphologies (blowout…) and highly sensitive areas at a scale never realized before.