Feasibility and Implications of a Rock Coating Catena: Analysis of a Desert Hillslope

Abstract

This research analyzes rock coatings on a basaltic hill in the western Mojave Desert using a combination of aerial imagery, a new method of digital in-field' ground-based image processing, and statistical analyses. In addition, this research resulted in the development of a new rock coating index (RCI) to generalize changes in rock coatings along a slope, applied here to 2,760 individual clasts. RCI values reveal variations of different types of rock coatings on different particle sizes, in this case rock varnish, iron films, and rocks eroding too fast to host any coating. Larger particles host more rock varnish, iron films do not prefer a particular particle size, and highly weathered no-coating' rocks are relatively smaller.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 2002
Accession Number
ADA407246

Entities

People

  • Ronald E. Palmer

Organizations

  • Arizona State University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Sensors
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Data Science
  • Digital Image Processing
  • Digital Images
  • Earth Sciences
  • Geography
  • Geology
  • Image Processing
  • Information Processing
  • Information Science
  • Remote Sensing
  • Spreadsheet Software
  • Statistical Analysis
  • Statistics
  • Surveys
  • Two Dimensional
  • United States

Readers

  • Geotechnical Engineering.
  • Surface Engineering/Surface Coating Technology.
  • Systems Analysis and Design