Planimetric and Volumetric Estimations of the Permafrost Coastal Erosion: Lorino Case Study, Chukotka, NE Russia

Maslakov, A.; Stekolshchikov, I.O.; Drugov, M.D.; Baranskaya, A.V., and Bogatova, D.M., 2024. Planimetric and volumetric measurements for the permafrost coastal erosion estimations: Lorino case study, Chukotka, NE Russia. In: Phillips, M.R.; Al-Naemi, S., and Duarte, C.M. (eds.), Coastlines under Global Change: Proceedings from the International Coastal Symposium (ICS) 2024 (Doha, Qatar). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 113, pp. 356-360. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208. Permafrost is widespread phenomenon in Polar Regions of our planet. The main feature of frozen unlithified sediment is presence of ice, which melts due to thermal impact. In this way, coastal erosion in permafrost regions has specific mechanisms and rates different from the coasts of lower latitudes. In-situ coastal studies in permafrost regions are sparse and located in remote locations that make these data extremely important for understanding long-term response of coastal environments to climate and ocean forcing. This study presents the attempt to apply different approaches to quantify coastal erosion rates in key coastal section in Lorino community, Chukotka, NE Russia. For this purpose, we used repeated field geodetic measurements, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and satellite imagery, and archival topographic plans of Lorino community spanning the period from 1964 to 2023. Digitized brow and foot of the erosion bluff allowed us to quantify long-term volumetric and planimetric erosion rates. Digital terrain model, obtained after UAV survey and referenced on solid benchmarks made it possible to determine more precise volumes of eroded deposits. The results show acceleration of coastal erosion in this site since 2010 that confirmed common trend for the Arctic coastlines. Intensive erosion has direct effect on coastal morphology shift and the volumes of the eroded sediment. The obtained results supplement and clarify previous observations and will allow to include this parameter in the predictive model of the coastal zone evolution in this key area in the future.