A Study on the Sedmentary Facies Change in the Tidal Flat Using High Spatial Resolution Remotely Sensed Data

The surface sediment distribution in a tidal flat in 2001 was compared with that of 2008 using high spatial resolution remote sensing images and a GIS-based analysis. Maps of the surface sedimentary facies for each time frame were induced by an IKONOS data acquired in February, 2001 and a KOMPSAT-2 data acquired in April, 2008 using an object-based classification method. The area ratio of each surface sedimentary facies were estimated, and the results were compared each other for deducing the change in the sedimentary facies during the time interval. The result showed that the percentage of grains larger than very fine sand (0.0625 mm) has increased considerably since the early 2000s in the Hwangdo tidal flat. Mud flat facies has decreased 5.81 % in the late 2000s compared with the early 2000s. However, mixed flat and sand flat have increased 4.46% and 2.14%, respectively. A field campaign also supported the result. This study showed that the monitoring of changes in the surface sedimentary facies in the tidal flat is possible through a GIS-based analysis using high spatial resolution remote sensing images.