Using geospatial mobile applications and devices for geomorphological field data collection in mountain areas: a camparison test

Classical methods for field data collection on geological and geomorphological features are based on the use of relatively simple tools, such as paper notebooks, coloured pencils, base maps… together with the personal skills of researchers. So far, data collected on the field had to be interpreted, summarised and redrawn in order to create base geological and geomorphological maps and/or more elaborated geothematic ones. In the last 15 years, the use of computers and other electronic devices for collection, analysis and distribution of field data had a notable development also in the Geomorphology and their applications to environmental analysis. This originated effective improvements not only in the field activities, but also in the laboratory ones, in terms of enhancement in both rapidity and precision of data processing, interpretation, and representation. Still, many not-yet-resolved problems concern either the conceptual framework or the practical solutions for field data collection and their transposition into maps. Technological developments in the geographical application of mobile geoinformation technologies make easier mapping of difficult terrains of rough morphologies and allow quantification of temporal and spatial dynamics of various geomorphological processes. While many developments in GPS and mobile GIS have been considered from the viewpoint of geodesy, their versatility in geomorphological situations has had limited attention. The paper presents and discusses the results of laboratory and field researches conducted in mountain areas of Europe and Canada, including some considerations on essentials in mapping activities, attributes of geological/geomorphological features and characteristics of Geomatics tools, device and methodologies.