HIGH RESOLUTION 10-BE SURFACE-EXPOSURE DATING AIDED BY UAV-DERIVED GLACIAL GEOMORPHIC MAPPING ON THE EASTERN TIBETAN PLATEAU

Detailed geomorphic maps derived from unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery give spatial context to our ¹⁰Be surface-exposure glacier chronologies used to determine past climate variability and global climate dynamics. We present high-resolution, orthoimages and digital elevation models (DEMs) of formally glaciated valleys in the eastern Tibetan Plateau of Western China using structure-from-motion techniques. Our glacial geomorphic maps rely primarily on sound field mapping techniques, and are aided by high-resolution aerial imagery. In interior Asia, available aerial imagery is poor and capturing images from helicopters is impractical; therefore UAVs provide a cost-effective way to document subtle landforms important to our glacial geomorphic interpretations. With UAV imagery and structure-from-motion, we are able to achieve image resolution of ~30 cm/pixel, which exceeds by two orders of magnitude the resolution of presently available satellite images for interior Asia. We use this imagery in tandem with ¹⁰Be surface-exposure chronologies to reconstruct the climate history of central Asia.