Rock Glacier Inventory for Lombardy, Italy

NASA's dataset inventories 498 rock glaciers in Italy's Lombardy region, classifying them by morphological activity. The inventory was compiled from analysis of 1:20,000 scale color aerial photographs, supplemented by field surveys for 10% of the landforms. Data was originally published in the CAPS Version 1.0 CD-ROM in June 1998.

Use Cases

• Analyzing the distribution and activity status (active, doubtful, complex, inactive) of rock glaciers.
• Studying the relationship between rock glaciers and glaciated areas in the Lepontine and Rhaetian Alps.
• Using the geospatial inventory as a baseline for monitoring periglacial process changes over time.
• Correlating rock glacier activity with regional topography and climate factors.

Strengths

• Inventory includes a specific count of 498 identified rock glaciers.
• Classifications are based on a defined methodology using aerial photo analysis at 1:20,000 scale.
• Field validation was performed for approximately 10% of the inventoried landforms.

Limitations

• The dataset's temporal coverage and specific column schema are not detailed in the provided sources.
• There is a conflict in the 'last updated' metadata: Data.gov lists 2026-03-12, while NASA Earthdata lists 1997-12 31.
• The exact license terms under 'other-license-specified' are not provided.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Analysis of color aerial photographs at 1:20,000 scale, with geomorphological field surveys for a subset.

Time Range

Inventory work began at the end of 1987; data published in 1998.

Freshness

1997-12-31 23:59:59.999000

Geography

Lombardy region, Italy, encompassing parts of the Lepontine Alps and Rhaetian Alps.