In this article, we rationalize the need to develop a geomorphometric atlas of ice-free Antarctic areas. Geomorphometric mapping of such landscapes is necessary to obtain new knowledge about quantitative topographic characteristics of these unique objects and the further use of morphometric information in the geosciences. First, we present a concept, structure, and content of the atlas including a list of 194 areas to be modeled and mapped. For each area, the atlas will include the following materials: (a) a hypsometric map; (b) a map series of the eleven morphometric variables: slope, aspect, horizontal curvature, vertical curvature, minimal curvature, maximal curvature, catchment area, topographic wetness index, stream power index, total insolation, and wind exposition index; and (c) reference texts and tables. Second, we describe data and methods of geomorphometric modeling and mapping to be utilized for creating the atlas. Fragments of the Reference Elevation Model of Antarctica will be used as input data for geomorphometric calculations and modeling. Next, we discuss specificity of the ice-free areas posing challenges in the atlas development. Finally, we consider possible applications of the derived maps. The principal feature and novelty of the atlas will be the system view on maps of key fundamental morphometric attributes associated with the theory of the topographic surface and the concept of general geomorphometry. The atlas will concentrate multi-scale, multi-aspect quantitative information on the ice-free Antarctic topography, will present it in a systematized, organized, and easy-to-read form as well as will provide scientific and information support for research in Antarctica.

As part of a project to create a physical-geographical thematic scientific reference geomorphometric atlas of ice-free territories of Antarctica, we carried out geomorphometric modeling and mapping of the Bunger Oasis (Knox Coast, Wilkes Land, East Antarctica). As a result of processing of the Reference Elevation Model of Antarctica (REMA) fragment including the Bunger Oasis and adjacent glaciers, we for the first time created a series of medium- and large-scale maps of the most important morphometric variables (slope gradient, vertical curvature, horizontal curvature, maximal curvature, minimal curvature, catchment area, topographic wetness index, and stream power index). The obtained morphometric maps describe the topography of the Bunger Oasis in a rigorous, quantitative, and reproducible manner. These maps can be useful for geological, geomorphological, glaciological, soil, ecological, climatic, and hydrological studies of the Bunger Oasis

We describe the use of geomorphometric methods for studying thin-film structures in microelectronics. In particular, we developed a method for processing data from measuring equipment (optical profilometer and spectral ellipsometer) to calculate maps of mechanical stress distribution considering a complex (i.e., nonspherical) shape of structures (that is, nonuniform deformation) and nonuniform film thickness. The results of calculations for SiO2/Si and GaN/Al2O3 structures are presented. The calculated value of mechanical stresses for SiO2: σ ≤ 300 MPa. A relationship was obtained between the highest values of mechanical stress and volumetric defects for GaN. Geomorphometric methods are effective for (1) preparation of initial experimental data for the purpose of subsequent calculation of second partial derivatives (which are necessary for computation of mechanical stresses from the topographic data of structures); (2) direct calculation of curvature maps for subsequent determination of mechanical stresses; and (3) qualitative assessment of local topographic features poorly manifested on the initial topographic maps, which are directly related to the areas of the highest mechanical stresses.

We discuss a technique for investigating changes in complex topography and shape of structures using geomorphometric methods to study surfaces of wafers and membranes formed by the Bosch process. The wafers were analyzed before and after the deposition of the SiO2 layer. The membranes were analyzed during the bulge testing. The study was carried out using maps of the catchment area and principal curvatures taking into account artifacts of the approximation of experimental data. We found a correspondence between the distribution of lines connecting the highest surface areas before and after the deposition of the SiO2 layer on the wafers. For membranes with structure: Al(0.8 μm)/SiO2(0.6 μm)/Al(1.1 μm), pSi*(0.8 μm)/SiNx(0.13 μm)/SiO2, Al(0.6 μm) we also found that features of membrane boundaries are mainly caused by their initial shape rather than change under the action of an applied pressure. The advantages of geomorphometric methods for studying changes in the shape of wafers and thin-film membranes in technological processes for the manufacturing of microelectronic devices are shown in comparison with traditional methods for analyzing surface topography maps. Keywords: thin films, membrane, defect, mechanical characteristics, mechanical stresses, deformation, deflection, strain, microelectromechanical systems, MEMS, circular membrane, silicon substrate, optical profilometry, overpressure, geomorphometry, Gaussian curvature, warpage, principal curvatures, wafer, bulge testing, bulging method, thin-layer coating, digital elevation models, DEM, surface, topography.

This article discusses the application of geomorphometric methods in microelectronic metrology. Six typical microelectronic items were geomorphometrically analyzed using their digital elevation models with nano‐ and micrometer‐range resolution and elevation difference: (1) a silicon–quartz structure; (2) a mechanically polished silicon wafer; (3) a photovoltaic blend sample; (4) an X‐ray optical element (a fused quartz spherical concave substrate); (5) a Bosch process‐formed, 20 aluminum layered membrane; and (6) a silicon–glass assembly with a volumetric defect. Geomorphometric modeling increases significantly the visibility and informativeness of data presentation, allowing to identify effectively the spatial distribution of nano‐ and microforms of the surface of microelectronic items. Geomorphometric methods provide an opportunity to study the size, location, and characteristic features of nano‐ and microtopographic inhomogeneities of microelectronic items using maps of minimum, maximum, mean, and unsphericity curvatures as well as other morphometric variables.

The author makes a summary for a series of geomorphometric, geological, and biological field studies by a complex team of the 68th Russian Antarctic Expedition performed at two areas of the Larsemann Hills oasis (Ingrid Christensen Coast, Princess Elizabeth Land, East Antarctica) in February 2023. The areas (a rocky island and a cape) are located to the south of the Stornes Peninsula, at the western border of the oasis with the Polararboken Glacier, on the Wilcock Bay coast. At the time of filed studies, both the areas were white spots on large scale topographic and geological maps, unexplored, and without any names given before. Guided by traditions of land explorers as well as considering the mapping practice of new territories, the 68th Russian Antarctic Expedition complex team assigned seven toponyms to the areas and their particular elements.

Geomorphometric modeling is widely used in geosciences. However, geomorphometric modeling and mapping of Antarctic oases has not been performed so far. This article presents the first results of our work on geomorphometric modeling and mapping of the Larsemann Hills obtained in the frameworks of the 68th Russian Antarctic Expedition in January-April 2023. As input data, we used a fragment of the Reference Elevation Model of Antarctica (REMA). From the extracted and edited digital elevation model, we derived digital models and maps of the following 17 morphometric variables: slope, aspect, horizontal curvature, vertical curvature, mean curvature, Gaussian curvature, minimal curvature, maximal curvature, unsphericity curvature, difference curvature, vertical excess curvature, horizontal excess curvature, ring curvature, accumulation curvature, catchment area, topographic index, and stream power index. We also conducted a field geomorphometric interpretation work to provide correct physical geographic, geological, and geomorphological interpretations of morphometric maps. In the fieldwork, we carried out 54 foot routes with the total length of about 422 km. During the routes, we collected 150 rock samples for further petrological and mineralogical analyses as well as three-dimensional modeling of the samples. Derived morphometric maps can be useful for structural geological and processoriented hydrological studies. The ultimate goal of the ongoing work is to create a large-scale geomorphometric atlas of Antarctic oases and other ice-free Antarctic territories.

This study focuses on the quality evaluation of two of the best 1 arc-second public global digital elevation models (DEMs), Copernicus GLO-30 DEM and ALOS AW3D30 DSM, from the perspective of their capability to represent the terrain fine-scale morphology of a complex alpine landscape, located in the Italian Trentino Province. The analysis is performed on an area of 6210 km 2 , considering a reference DEM derived from a high resolution and accurate airborne Lidar survey. The quality assessment goes beyond a conventional approach based on elevation differences statistics, computed on a pixels-by-pixel basis. An ad hoc approach for evaluating the capability to represent fine-scale morphology, including surface roughness, is adopted. Moreover, the quality analysis is performed considering the influence of local morphology and of the different land covers. The findings show that although the two global DEMs have comparable overall quality, their relative performances change according to local landscape characteristics. Copernicus DEM performance is on average better than ALOS in correspondence of urbanized areas as well as in areas without vegetation cover, with gentle slopes and relatively low short-range roughness. Meanwhile, ALOS DEM performance is slightly better than Copernicus in rougher terrain and steeper slopes. In general, both DEMs have poor performances in steep slopes, with a limited capability to describe fine-scale morphology. The adoption of these global DEMs for terrain analysis and modelling of earth surface processes should be performed carefully, considering the impact of different land covers and of local morphology, including surface roughness.

Reconstruction of glacial topography is important for assessing the ice dynamics of glaciers in the past and understanding how they may respond to climate change in the future. As an emerging strategy, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been successfully used in glaciology applications to reconstruct surface topography and monitor the short-term dynamics of glaciers. However, none of these studies have focused on the ice dynamics of outlet glaciers in Antarctica. In this study, based on a combination of UAVs and a base station, we investigated Dalk Glacier, a typical marine-terminating glacier in East Antarctica, during two Chinese National Antarctic Research Expeditions from 2019 to 2020. By applying structure-from-motion and multi-view-stereo photogrammetry, high-resolution orthomosaics and digital elevation models of the glacial topography were reconstructed with centimeter-level accuracy via in situ validation, thus marking the first application of UAV observations in the monitoring of Antarctic outlet glaciers. Topographic evolution of the glacier was quantitatively analyzed from various aspects including ice velocity, surface elevation, crevasses, and ice front calving. A maximum ice velocity of ∼ 310 m a-1 at its terminus was observed, which was ∼ 90 m a-1 greater than that in satellite-based studies. We analyzed in detail the spatially heterogeneous changes in the ice velocity and surface elevation of the glacier under the influence of an ice rumple at its calving terminus. Combined with satellite images and existing datasets, we hypothesize that the large ice rumples at the glacier terminus could deform the glacier and potentially damage its structural integrity, thereby limiting the growth of its terminus.

Geomorphometric modeling is widely used in geosciences. However, geomorphometric modeling and mapping of Antarctic oases has not been performed so far. This article presents the first results of our work on geomorphometric modeling and mapping of several Antarctic oases including the Larsemann Hills, Thala Hills, Schirmacher oasis, and Fildes Peninsula. As input data, we used fragments of the Reference Elevation Model of Antarctica. For each territory, we derived digital models of the following 17 morphometric variables from the extracted and edited digital elevation models: slope, aspect, horizontal curvature, vertical curvature, mean curvature, Gaussian curvature, minimal curvature, maximal curvature, unsphericity curvature, difference curvature, vertical excess curvature, horizontal excess curvature, ring curvature, accumulation curvature, catchment area, topographic index, and stream power index. Derived geomorphometric maps can be useful for structural geological and process-oriented hydrological studies. The ultimate goal of the ongoing work is to create a digital large-scale geomorphometric atlas of Antarctic oases and other ice-free Antarctic territories.

Antarctica has been significantly influenced by global climate change. Owing to the spatiotemporal limitations of existing datasets, budgetary constraints, logistical challenges, and adverse temperature and climatic conditions of Antarctica, researchers face great challenges. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have helped to solve this issue because they can collect high-resolution spatiotemporal data and conduct operations in inaccessible locations at a low cost and with ease compared with in situ observation and conventional spaceborne and airborne remote sensing. The development and testing of UAVs for use in polar environments mainly focus on enhancing UAV performance in extreme Antarctic conditions by improving their endurance, wind resistance, and aerial photography stability. The equipped multisensors, flexible data collection and operation window, and high-spatiotemporal resolution all contribute to making UAVs the most powerful platform for cryospheric research. In recent years, a series of UAV-related studies on the cryosphere have been published. However, a thorough review that explicitly details the scientific progress and possibilities of using UAVs in Antarctic polar research is lacking. In this era of rapid global and regional climate change, it is becoming increasingly necessary to employ UAVs to investigate the finer changes in the Antarctic ice sheet (AIS) and ice shelves. This work investigates the use of UAVs in the monitoring of the glacial microtopography (including rifts and crevasses, surface subsidence, and melting ponds), ice surface landforms, atmosphere, flora and fauna, sea ice, subglacial environment, and other aspects of Antarctic glaciology investigation, and it speculates on their future use in multidisciplinary research.

Glaciers fluctuations are an indicator of changes in natural circulation mechanisms in the 'glacia-tion-ocean-atmosphere' system of the Southern Hemisphere. To assess the dynamics of the movement of shelf and outlet Antarctic glaciers, remote sensing methods are mainly used including unmanned aerial surveys. This article discusses methods for assessing the movement of the Dalk Glacier (Ingrid Christensen Coast, East Antarctica) using digital surface models (DSMs) and orthomosaics derived from data of multi-temporal un-manned aerial surveys. We estimated the dynamics of the Dalk Glacier over three weeks in January-February 2017 and over two years from January 2017 to January 2019. To study short-term displacements, a pseudo -parallax method was applied. Biennial displacements of the glacier were estimated by a visual comparison of orthomosaics. During three weeks of the 2017 austral summer, the average velocity of the actively moving part of the glacier was 1.3 m/day. At the same time, the average displacement of the central part of the Dalk Glacier was 423 m over two years, that is, the average velocity was about 0.6 m/day. Our results can serve as a basis for glaciological studies, monitoring, and prediction of fluctuations in hard-to-reach areas of outlet glaciers in Antarctica.

В статье представлены результаты геоморфометрического моделирования нанорельефа поверхности по данным измерений методом атомно-силовой микроскопии (АСМ).В качестве исходных данных использованы результаты измерений поверхности образца фотогальванической смеси PTB7:PC 71 BM.Размер анализируемой области сканирования образца 2 x 2 мкм; перепад высот 109 нм.Цифровая модель рельефа (ЦМР) образца включает 66049 точек (матрица 257 x

The use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in glaciology and cryology, as well as studying and monitoring of polar regions is one of the most rapidly developing areas of the unmanned aerial industry. An aerial photogeodetic team of the 67th Russian Antarctic Expedition (RAE) solved two main interrelated tasks: 1) field tests of the newest Russian UAS Geoscan 701 in Antarctic conditions and 2) carrying out unmanned aerial surveys of two Antarctic territories, characterized by fundamentally different natural conditions, in order to obtain their high-precision orthomosaics and digital elevation models (DEMs) of an ultra-high resolution. On 15 January 2022, we carried out an unmanned aerial survey of two adjacent Antarctic maritime oases Molodezhny and Vecherny and surrounding areas of the glacier (Enderby Land, East Antarctica). From 26 January to 16 February 2022, we performed an unmanned aerial survey of the Fildes Peninsula (the southwestern, free of ice cover portion of the King George Island, South Shetland Islands, West Antarctica). The survey was complicated by severe meteorological conditions (low clouds, fog, strong winds, and precipitation). Field tests of UAS Geoscan 701 have shown that the system can be successfully used for unmanned aerial survey in polar regions. After in-office photogrammetric processing of the obtained materials, orthomosaics and DEMs of the indicated territories will be obtained with a resolution of 10 and 25 cm, respectively. These will be used for creation of modern large-scale topographic maps, photographic maps, three-dimensional and geomorphometric modeling of these territories, as well as operational and scientific activities of the RAE.