Erosion Resistance Index (ERI) to Assess Surface Stability in Desert Environments

A spectral index, i.e., the erosion resistance index (ERI), was developed to assess erosion risks in desert landscapes. The index was developed by applying trigonometry to the combination of the green-red band ratio and the green-near-infrared band ratio from very high spatial resolution multispectral imagery. The resultant ERI maps showed spatially cohesive distributions of high and low index values across the study areas. High index values were observed over areas that were resistant to erosion (such as desert pavement and dense vegetation), whereas low index values overlapped with areas that were likely dominated by loose sandy soils, such as stream beds and access roads. Although further investigation is warranted, this spectral index, i.e., the ERI, shows promise for the assessment of erosion risks in desert regions.