Author

Amy Laurence

Date

May 2006–March 2007

Project Type

Undergraduate dissertation

Subject

Geography / Geology

Datasets

OS County Series and National Grid, OS Profile and OS Panorama; BGS data; LIDAR, CASI, Aerial Photographs, Satellite data - Landsat 7, Landsat 4/5, SPOT, GPS data

Sources: Digimap, Natural England, Environment Agency, Landsat, own collection

Dates/Editions: As available

Scales: Variable

Related Subjects

Environmental Management, Biology, Civil Engineering

Key Words

GIS, Geography, Geology, Landsat, LIDAR

Publishing Institution

Geography, Edge Hill University

Summary

Coastal geomorphological fluctuations have aroused considerable concern in recent years. The threat of changes to the climate, and thus, to our existence have prompted a need to increase coastal monitoring and analysis.

Geographical Information Systems (GIS) have the potential to integrate extensive primary and secondary datasets. However, my undergraduate dissertation research has shown that their deployment in coastal research has been slow and limited in their application. I decided to demonstrate their potential at a particular location in northwest England.

The methodologies used in my research show that the potential capabilities of a GIS are significant when used for coastal zone research. A personal geodatabase was created in ESRI’s ArcGIS 9.1 for the focus area, Sandscale Haws, Cumbria. A wide variety of data from field surveys to satellite images was incorporated in the personal geodatabase. All of this secondary data was sourced from CHEST licensed sources such as EDINA Digimap and UKBORDERS as well as MIMAS Landmap. In addition I could have used CDU Census data sources to identify possible population centres at risk, although this was beyond the remit of this particular project. My research has shown the significant change that has taken place over the last 150 years, mapped the existing situation, and provided some indication of what may happen in the future.

The research has identified the need for a multi-layered data approach to develop understanding of coastal fluctuation and GIS provides an ideal platform for this. The literature review showed that too few researchers are using GIS and the extensive digital databases now available for coastal zone modelling. A strategy of promoting the GIS approach, and increasing training opportunities should be implemented by someone, somewhere to promote this methodology.

Aims and Objectives

To evaluate techniques in researching and visually representing geomorphological features and fluctuations of the coastal zone, with particularly focus of Sandscale Haws, Cumbria.

To do this the following techniques will be applied:

1. To present visual evidence for coastal change at Sandscale Haws
2. To illustrate and evaluate field data collection techniques
3. To demonstrate and evaluate the capabilities of a Geographical Information System and a variety of data to identify coastal zone fluctuation; in particular for the coastline and slack formation

Figure 1: Overview of methodology undertaken

Methodology

My undergraduate dissertation incorporated both primary and secondary data sets. Primary data was collected directly from the field with the aid of maps and aerial photographs to pin point and record key features of the site. The fieldwork aided the understanding of secondary data sets, which included Digimap (both current and historical), LIDAR, CASI, aerial photographs, Satellite data and geology maps. The data sets were initially processed by georeferencing, mosaicing and undertaking image processing, to ensure a clear and cohesive data set (see figure 1).

A key element to the research was the incorporation of this data into a personal geodatabase, which provided a platform for the data to be further enhanced through the creation of feature classes. The images were digitised to extract data about the coastline and landforms especially the dune slacks. The use of historical data provided a crucial data set, due to the lack of previously collected information and knowledge about the site. The historical maps provided evidence of key coastal changes, and helped to place today’s coastal changes in some form of context of the present and possibly the future (figure 2, 3 and 4).

The personal geodatabase in ArcGIS allowed all the datasets to be used collectively but also provided the opportunity to work with individual datasets extracting and generalising the key information as necessary.

In addition, I worked with DTM data sets sourced from Digimap as well as LIDAR data obtained from a third party. The projection of this data into 3-dimensional images was of great value and the opportunity to drape maps and aerial photographs on the 3-dimensional base provided an unique 3-dimensional view of Sandscale Haws.

Results/Outcome

The research highlighted the potential use of ArcGIS personal geodatabases and especially how they have the ability to store a vast range of data that can be used to derive various information bases for the researcher or management team. All the data from the historical maps to the current aerial photographs helped to provide a context for the sites and provided a platform for future work on possible coastal change at Sandscale Haws.

One of the major conclusions to my research has been the observation that the range of datasets now available to researchers and managers is enormous but that the published literature shows that they are not being used to their fullest and most valuable extent I think that more training at the higher education level maybe the prescription to remedy for this shortfall. The fact that Edina and other portals have made this data available to the community is of obvious significance. I hope that my dissertation will be used by others as an exemplar of what is possible with GIS data.

Acknowledgements, References and Other Images

Supervisor - Gerry Lucas (Senior Lecturer in Geography at Edge Hill University)

With thanks to the Edge Hill University Geography staff, the Sandscale Haws National Trust Wardens, The Environment Agency, and Natural England. I would not have been able to execute my GIS model and analysis of this part of the UK coastal zone without access to EDINA. It is with thanks to all the above, that I have just heard that my dissertation scored one of the highest marked Firsts at my Institution.

References

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Images

Figure 2: Comparison between historical and current day Digimap.

Figure 3: Coastline change Flash movie using a combination of historical and current Digimap data.

Figure 4: An overview in the changes of detail in mapped data from 1889 to present day.