Geocarto International

Mountain environments can exhibit high-magnitude processes that are the result of complex interactions between climate, surface processes and tectonics. Understanding these environments is complicated due to scale dependencies associated with process regimes, feedback mechanisms, and strongly coupled systems. The utilization of geospatial technologies and numerical modelling for characterizing and mapping the nature of mountain geodynamics, including the cryospheric, ecological geomorphological, and hydrological conditions at altitude, is essential for mapping surface biophysical variables and predicting system responses to forcing factors that govern resource availability and mountain geohazards.

Climate forcing is causing significant change in the nature of mountain landscapes including micro-climatic conditions, migration of ecological systems, surface erosion and deposition dynamics, water storage and discharge conditions and cascading geohazard risks that govern the livelihoods of mountain people.  Unfortunately, we do not adequately understand many aspects of such coupled systems and do not have reliable estimates of process rates and system response with respect to tipping points.  Geospatial technology solutions must be developed and evaluated to address many of the complex science issues associated with mountains.

This special issue will focus on utilizing geospatial technologies to better understand mountain environments. Research and/or review articles that address both scientific and geospatial technology issues are requested to provide new insights into these complex environments. Important topics that will be included in this issue are:

1. Climate forcing and change (precipitation and radiation)
2. Vegetation and ecological assessment
3. Cryosphere (snow and glaciers)
4. Geomorphological systems
5. Geohazards
6. Water resources (hydrology)
7. Geology (structure, deformation, lithology)
8. Remote sensing (radiometric calibration)
9. Geomorphometry and mapping
10. Geospatial analysis and modelling.

Contributions should attempt to incorporate remote sensing, geomorphometry and spatial analysis, modelling, and machine learning solutions wherever possible. Contributions must address scientific and geospatial technology issues in order to be included in this issue.

Dr. Michael P. Bishop is a Professor in Geography and the founding Director of the Center for Geospatial Science, Applications and Technology at Texas A&M University. He received his Ph.D. at Indiana State University (1987) with an emphasis in physical geography and geographic information science. His areas of expertise are in remote sensing, geographic information science, geomorphometry, numerical modeling, mountain geomorphology and cryospheric science.

Dr. Umesh K. Haritashya is a Professor in the Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences as well as Mann Endowed Chair in Natural Sciences at the University of Dayton. His areas of expertise are in optical and SAR remote sensing, geographic information science, cryospheric science, mountain hydrological and hazards modeling, and machine learning.

Photo Credit: Dr. Umesh Haritashya, Location: Mt. Everest region, Nepal.

All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo a full peer-review; the Guest Advisor for this collection will not be handling the manuscripts (unless they are an Editorial Board member). Please review the journal scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is July 31, 2023.

Instructions for AuthorsSubmit an Article