Ice-free geomorphometry of Enderby Land, East Antarctica: 2. Coastal oases
Abstract
Geomorphometric modeling and mapping of ice-free Antarctic areas can be applied for obtaining new quantitative knowledge about the topography of these unique landscapes and for the further use of morphometric information in Antarctic research. Within the framework of a project of creating a physical geographical thematic scientific reference geomorphometric atlas of ice-free areas of Antarctica, we performed geomorphometric modeling and mapping of five key coastal oases of Enderby Land, East Antarctica. These include, from west to east, the Konovalov Oasis, Thala Hills (Molodezhny and Vecherny Oases), Fyfe Hills, and Howard Hills. As input data, we used five fragments of the Reference Elevation Model of Antarctica (REMA). For the coastal oases and adjacent ice sheet and glaciers, we derived models and maps of eleven, most scientifically important morphometric variables (i.e., slope, aspect, horizontal curvature, vertical curvature, minimal curvature, maximal curvature, catchment area, topographic wetness index, stream power index, total insolation, and wind exposition index). In total, we derived 60 maps in 1:50,000 and 1:75,000 scales. The obtained models and maps describe the coastal oases of Enderby Land in a rigorous, quantitative, and reproducible manner. New morphometric data can be useful for further geological, geomorphological, glaciological, ecological, and hydrological studies of this region.