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The use of a Landsat image to assess the morphometry of a dune field in the Moroccan southwest Sahara
Science et changements planétaires / Sécheresse. Volume 21, Number 1, 54-62, janvier-février-mars 2010, Article de recherche
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Author(s) : Imad Lekouch, Pierre Rognon, Belkacem Kabbachi, Mohammed Benssaou, Abdelkarim Ezaidi
Summary : The evolution study of sand dunes has progressively improved with the involvement of remote-sensing data and geographical information system (GIS) technology. The example presented here concerns the dune corridor in the southwestern part of Morocco. The Landsat ETM ⁺ imagery acquired in 2000 enriched our data so that we can now analyse morphological parameters of dunes over a distance of 80 km. Digital image processing has afforded us more robust information concerning the shapes, orientations and the interactions between dunes generated by winds coming mostly from the NNE. The integration of GIS facilitates the examination of the different components that influence the evolution of dunes. All such recorded information can be interrogated separately or put into relation. The characterization of the topographic map of the studied region makes it possible to create a numerical model of altitude (MNA) that serves to enrich our understanding of the impact of topography on dunes.
Keywords : geomorphology, GIS, Morocco, sand dune, remote sensing, satellite imaging

The use of a Landsat image to assess the morphometry of a dune field in the Moroccan southwest Sahara