Analysis of karst terrains using the digital elevation model. Application to the Sierra de las Nieves (province of Málaga)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21701/bolgeomin.125.3.008Keywords:
cell size, DEM, doline, GIS, kart hill, rasterAbstract
The availability of high resolution digital elevation models (DEM) has allowed the quantitative analysis of reliefs that was unworkable a few decades ago. In karst terrains in particular, the numerical analysis of the DEM allows the identification and delineation of the most typical landforms of the exokarst, at a metric scale, in the form of negative reliefs, i.e. depressions such as dolinas, uvalas and poljes and positive reliefs such as hills; as well as the morphometric characteristics of these geoforms. In this paper we show an extension of the method for identifying and mapping hills and other positive karst geoforms. The potential of the method is illustrated with the Sierra de las Nieves karst aquifer in the province of Malaga in southern Spain. The method is general for detecting and delineating any kind of depressions such as craters and lakes.
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Funding data
Spanish National Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation
Grant numbers CGL2010-15498
