Geomorphology in the Digital Era

Dear Colleagues,

Once conducted traditionally through field observations or physical experiments to study the origin, devolvement and composition of landforms, geomorphological studies have been revolutionized by recent technological advancements. Freely available satellite images make it possible to remotely access physical landscape changes while high-speed internet enables access to online digital maps. In addition, the increasing performance of computer systems and sensors has advanced topographic modelling and geochronological techniques, making it possible to visualize, determine the ages of and make measurements of different landforms. This not only enables scientific studies but also humanitarian activities such as rescue mission planning in mountainous and hard-to-reach environments. With increasing changes in the climate system and growing global environmental concerns, current technological developments help in the acquisition, processing and interpretation of information on the Earth’s surface, and processes the information multi-temporally and very rapidly. These technologies help in understanding the dynamics and impact of human activities on Earth’s landscapes, allowing for better environmental management.

This Special Issue will focus on the latest advances in geomorphology as they relate to the mapping and surveying of landforms. Authors are invited to submit original manuscripts on topics including (but not limited to): 

• Photogrammetry-based point-cloud data and orthophoto acquisition and processing;
• LiDAR point-cloud data acquisition and processing;
• Point-cloud dataset processing for geomorphologic studies;
• Digital elevation models (DEMs) for landslide process mapping and survey;
• Photogrammetry and LiDAR technologies for 3D landform modelling;
• Remote sensing satellite imagery for land cover and land use mapping;
• Remote sensing techniques for geomorphological landforms mapping;
• Two- and three-dimensional Earth surface imaging and reconstruction;
• Aerial photogrammetry for sediment mapping and classification;
• Real-time LiDAR point-cloud data acquisition and processing for rescue missions.

Dr. Anselme Muzirafuti
Prof. Dr. Giovanni Randazzo
Dr. Stefania Lanza
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.