Geomorphological Evolution and Fluvial System Development during the Holocene: The Case of Vouraikos River Evolution in Kalavrita Plain, Northern Peloponnese, Greece

Fluvial geomorphology is affected by physical conditions which allow its adaptation due to high dynamics and environmental influences. Fluvial morphological changes are manifested as a result of tendency of the river system to maintain its physical balance. Our study area is the upper and middle flow part of Vouraikos river and surrounding area, near the NW border of Chelmos mountain in Northern Peloponnese, near the town of Kalavrita, at an altitude of 800 m. The area is part of the Skepasto basin, constituting of a graben with a general E-W direction that was developed NW of Kalavrita. The area comprises of Mesozoic, Upper Triassic-Jurassic limestone and dolomite of the Tripolitsa unit External Hellenides and Plio-Pleistocene fluvio-lacustrine sequences, while its tectonic structure is characterized mainly by normal faults. The geomorphological landscape is characterized by alluvial deposits and important geomorphological features including fluvial terraces, alluvial fans, fluvial scarps and their main rill washes. This area has been a place of major human activity as shown by the findings of many uncovered artifacts and a settlement. Through a paleographic reconstruction, detailed field investigations, in combination with the compilation of geomorphological maps using GIS software and archaeological evidence found in the area, we attempted to reconstruct the fluvial evolution of Vouraikos river and identify the major geomorphological factors that led to, and influenced it. Finally, the link between cultural activities and sedimentary processes is also studied. The recorded environmental variations had a great impact on the geomorphological shaping and instability of Kalavrita plain and Vouraikos river and are being reflected on the buried settlement. Sediment fluxes were high enough to form strath terraces, while local tectonics aided in the strath and fill terrace creation. Smaller and younger strath terraces, formed during increased sediment supply periods, when the valley was at a higher level.

Geomorphological evidence inconvenient for the antecedent rivers of the Arun and Tista across the Himalayan range

The Arun and Tista Rivers,which flow across the Himalayas,are commonly known as antecedent valleys that overcame the rapid uplift of the Higher Himalayan ranges.To clarify whether the idea of antecedent rivers is acceptable,we investigated the geomorphology of the Himalayas between eastern Nepal and Bhutan Himalayas.The southern part of Tibetan Plateau,extending across the Himalayas as tectonically un-deformed glaciated terrain named as'Tibetan Corridor,'does not suggest the regional uplift of the Higher Himalayas.The 8,000-m class mountains of Everest,Makalu,and Kanchenjunga are isolated residual peaks on the glaciated terrain composed of mountain peaks of 4,000–6,000 m high.The Tibetan glaciers commonly beheaded by Himalayan glaciers along the great watershed of the Himalayas suggest the expansion of Himalayan river drainage by glaciation.For the narrow upstream regions of the Arun and Tista Rivers with less precipitation behind the range,it is hard to collect enough water for the power of down-cutting their channels against the uplifting Himalayas.The fission track ages of the Higher Himalayan Crystalline Nappe suggest that the Himalayas attained their present altitude by 11–10 Ma,and the Arun and Tista Rivers formed deep gorges across the Himalayas by headward erosion.

A process-oriented approach for identifying potential landslides considering time-dependent behaviors beyond geomorphological features

Geomorphological features are commonly used to identify potential landslides.Nevertheless,overemphasis on these features could lead to misjudgment.This research proposes a process-oriented approach for potential landslide identification that considers time-dependent behaviors.The method integrates comprehensive remote sensing and geological analysis to qualitatively assess slope stability,and employs numerical analysis to quantitatively calculate aging stability.Specifically,a time-dependent stability calculation method for anticlinal slopes is developed and implemented in discrete element software,incorporating time-dependent mechanical and strength reduction calculations.By considering the time-dependent evolution of slopes,this method highlights the importance of both geomorphological features and time-dependent behaviors in landslide identification.This method has been applied to the Jiarishan slope(JRS)on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as a case study.The results show that the JRS,despite having landslide geomorphology,is a stable slope,highlighting the risk of misjudgment when relying solely on geomorphological features.This work provides insights into the geomorphological characterization and evolution history of the JRS and offers valuable guidance for studying slopes with similar landslide geomorphology.Furthermore,the process-oriented method incorporating timedependent evolution provides a means to evaluate potential landslides,reducing misjudgment due to excessive reliance on geomorphological features.

Geochemical-geomorphological Evidence for the Provenance of Aeolian Sands and Sedimentary Environments in the Hunshandake Sandy Land, Eastern Inner Mongolia, China

Identifying the provenance of aeolian sediments in the Hunshandake Sandy Land is of great importance for understanding the formation of the dune fields in the mid-latitudes and for deciphering information about desert＇s responses to global change. By determining the major and trace elements concentrations of aeolian sands in three grain size fractions from the central and western parts of the Hunshandake Sandy Land, we systematically study the provenance and the depositional history of aeolian sands in this desert environment. Our results show that aeolian sands from the Hunshandake Sandy Land are enriched in SiO2 and are depleted in many other elements compared to those of the Upper Continent Crust （UCC）. Variations of the immobile elements ratios like Zr/Hf, La/Yb, Th/Nb, La/Nb, LaN/YbN, GdN/YbN are relatively large in the coarse and medium fractions but minor in the fine fractions. Eu anomalies are quite different in the coarse fractions, but mostly positive in the medium fractions and all negative in the fine fractions. Decreasing tendency of Zr concentrations from the west to the east in the Hunshandake Sandy Land is evident in the coarse sands but rather weak in the fine grain size fractions. Our geochemical data indicate that the sources for the coarse and medium fractions of aeolian sands are diverse, influenced by local geology and geomorphology, while the fine sand fractions are more homogenous due to intensive mixture mainly by aeolian processes. Various ratios of immobile elements suggest that these sands should be sourced primarily from the surrounding mountains by fluvial/alluvial processes rather than from any remote territories. Aeolian sands with Ce negative anomalies are widely distributed in the Hunshandake Sandy Land, indicating that aquatic environments have occurred extensively prior to the occurrence of the dune field.

Bio-geomorphologic features and growth process of Tamarix nabkhas in Hotan River Basin, Xinjiang

Tamarix nabkha is one of the most widespread nabkhas, distributing in the arid region of China. Based on the observations outdoors and the simulation experiments in laboratories, analysis in this paper refers to the biological geomorphologic features and growth process of Tamarix nabkhas in the middle and lower reaches of the Hotan River, Xinjiang. And the results indicate that the ecological type of Tamarix in the study area is a kind of Tugaic soil habitat based on the deep soil of the Populus Diversifolia forests and shrubs. This type of habitat can be divided into three kinds of sub-habitats which demonstrate the features of ecological environment of Tamarix nabkhas during the differential developed phases. Meanwhile, the Tamar, ix nabkha can exert intensified disturbance current on wind-sand flow on the ground,and its root and stems not only have strong potential of sprouting but are characteristic of wind erosion-tolerance, resistance to be buried by sand and respectively tough rigid of the lignified branches, for it has a rather longer life-time. Thus, the wind speed profile influenced by the Tamarix nabkha is different from the Phragmites nabkha and Alhagi nabkha. And the structure of the wind flow is beneficial to aeolian sand accumulating in/around Tamarix shrub, which can create unique Tamarix nabkhas with higher average gradient and longer periodicity of life. Tamarix nabkha evolution in the area experienced three stages： growth stage, mature and steady stage and withering stage. In each stage, morphological features and geomorphic process of Tamarix nabkha are different due to the discrep- ant interaction between the nabkha and aeolian sand flow.

Dynamical characteristics of geomorphologic evolution of the basins covered by Pisha-sandstone in the eastern wing of the Ordos Plateau, China

There are several basins with high sediment yield in the Pisha-sandstone covering area of the east wing of the Ordos Plateau. Due to the lack of targeted research on the dynamical characteristics of geomorphic evolution that plays an important role in the sand production, this paper analyzed the tectonic activity intensity and erosion characteristics of the area. The results show that the intensity of tectonic activities in the area is generally moderateweak and shows an unconspicuous increase from north to south. Tectonic activity is manifested mainly in the form of uplift. The uplift rate in the lower reaches of each basin is greater than the erosion rate,which is prominent in the Kuyehe and the Tuweihe rivers. During the uplift of the regional topography,the most serious parts under erosion are generally concentrated in the upstream and midstream of basins. All longitudinal profiles of the basins have a shape close to an exponential function, which indicates that they are in the early stage of erosion evolution. The mechanisms of geomorphologic evolution of these basins have a great similarity. The conservative estimate of historical average erosion rate was less than 182–520 t/(km^2·yr), much less than that of the modern times. The average stream power values are typically distributed between 4 and102 W/m, with the larger being in the Kuyehe and the Tuweihe rivers and the smallest being in the Qinshuihe River. The maximum stream power value appears in the downstream reach, which should be the main reason for the particles being directly injected into the Yellow River. From the perspective of geomorphological evolution, the current soil and water conservation measures can hardly cure the erosion of these basins in the long run.

Understanding the Interactions between Climate Change,Landscape Evolution,Surface Processes and Tectonics in the Earth System:What Can the Studies of Chinese Deserts Contribute?

Due to large deserts on Earth surface a thorough understanding of climate change, landscape evolution and geomorphological processes having occurred in deserts is crucial for Earth System Science. The landscapes in deserts are, however, diverse and different over the globe with regard to their geomorphological nature, human activities and geological histories. In the last decades a great number of efforts have been put to the investigation of the initial timing of the occurrence of arid climate, e. g. in northwestern China. Silty sediments in the downwind directions have been used to deduce the histories of deserts. In general, there is a lack of knowledge about processes and landscapes in Chinese drylands between the initial Miocene silt sedimentation at desert margins and the late Quaternary multiple occurrences of wetter climate with assumed large lakes in many of the deserts in northern China. The geomorphological concept of three primary triggering factors, i.e., the sediment supply, sediment availability and transport capacity of wind, and additionally the underground geology need to be fully considered for a better understanding of the environmental histories of sand seas which should not be viewed as equivalent for deserts because sand seas cover between 〈 1% and ca. 45% of the desert areas in various continents dependent on a complex interaction between various processes of both exogenous and endogenous origins.

A geomorphological response of beaches to Typhoon Meari in the eastern Shandong Peninsula in China

Eight representative beach profiles on the eastern coast of the Shandong Peninsula are observed and measured in 2011 and 2012 to determine the coastal processes under the lower tropical wind speed condition and the beach response to and recovery from the tropical storm Meari in a rare typhoon region. The results show that it is the enhancement and directional change of cross-shore and longshore sediment transports caused by Meari that leads to the beach morphological changes, and most of the sediment transports occur during the pre-Meari landing phase. The erosional scarp formation and the berm or beach face erosion are the main geomorphological responses of the beaches to the storm. The storm characteristics are more important than the beach shapes in the storm response process of the beaches on Shandong Peninsula. The typhoon is a fortuitous strong dynamic event, and the effect on the dissipative beach is more obvious than it is on the reflective beach in the study region. Furthermore, the beach trend is the main factor that controlls the storm effect intensity, and it is also closely related to the recovery of the beach profiles.

Coastline configuration and geomorphologic development mode of arc-shaped coast in South China

Coastline configuration indexes of 34 typical arc-shaped coasts in South China are investigated by the method of principal component analysis, and meanwhile deposition and geomorphologic features of arc-shaped coast are also analyzed. The results show: (1) The configuration of arc-shaped coast in South China is of the characteristic of variability and complexity. (2) The wave power and the openings of the bay are the decisive factors to result in the changes of the configuration of the arc-shaped coast in South China, however, incidence direction of the wave has no effect on configuration development of the coast. (3) Commonly, geomorphologic modes of the arc-shaped coast system in South China consist of barriers, lagoons and tidal-inlets, and can be divided into four types:the openings of the bay leaning to the east, the openings of the bay leaning to the south, the openings of the bay leaning to the west and the openings of the bay leaning to the north.

Topographic Characteristics for the Geomorphologic Zones in the Northwestern Edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Based on geomorphologic and digital elevation model(DEM) data, the topographic characteristics of the northwestern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are analyzed. Five representative peaks are first determined according to the topographic profile maps for the ridge and piedmont lines, and then the topographic gradient characteristics are analyzed according to the representative topographic profile acquisition method.Based on the geomorphologic database data, the regions between the ridge and the piedmont lines are divided into four geomorphologic zones; and the topographic characteristics are finally analyzed for the different geomorphologic zones regions using the DEM data. The research results show that from the piedmont to the ridge, there exist four geomorphologic zones: arid, fluvial, periglacial and glacial. The arid has the lowest elevation, topographic gradient, relief and slope characteristics. The fluvial has lower elevation and the highest topographic gradient, but with lower relief and slope characteristics. With higher elevation, the periglcial has lower topographic gradient, but the highest relief and slope characteristics. The glacial has the highest elevation with higher topographic gradient, relief and slope characteristics.

Seismic geomorphology of buried channel systems in the western South Huanghai Sea:retrodiction for paleo-environments

Quantitative morphologic analysis of shallowly buried, dendritic channel systems in the continental shelf off the abandoned Huanghe River （Yellow River） mouth has been made based on interpretation of high resolution seismic profiles, with the attempt to estimate the paleo-hydrologic parameters when the incised-channels formed, then assess the paleoenvironment. The results indicate that the buried channel systems were formed about 44 cal ka BP when the shelf was subaerially exposed and subsequently drowned and filled during the Holocene transgression with the sea level rise continuously. The study area has experienced the processes from fluvial and estuarine to fully marine.

Topographic and geomorphological features and tectogenesis of the southern section of the Kyushu-Palau Ridge(KPR)and its adjacent areas

The Philippine Sea is the largest marginal sea in the Western Pacific Ocean and is divided into two parts by the Kyushu-Palau Ridge(KPR).The western part is the West Philippine Basin,and the eastern part consists of the Shikoku and Parece Vela basins.Based on surveyed data of massive high-resolution multibeam bathymetric data and sub-bottom profiles data collected from the southern section of the KPR from 2018 to 2021,this paper analyzes the topographic and geomorphological features,shallow sedimentary features,and tectonic genesis of the southern section of the KPR,obtaining the following conclusions.The southern section of the KPR has complex and rugged topography,with positive and negative topography alternatingly distributed and a maximum height difference of 4086 m.The slope of seamounts in this section generally exceeds 10°and is up to a maximum of 59°.All these contribute noticeably discontinuous topography.There are primarily nine geomorphological types in the southern section of the KPR,including seamounts,ridges,and intermontane valleys,etc.Among them,seven independent seamount groups are divided by five large troughs,forming an overall geomorphological pattern of seven abyssal seamount groups and five troughs.This reflects the geomorphological features of a deep oceanic ridge.Intramontane basins and intermontane valleys in the southern section of the KPR are covered by evenly thick sediments.In contrast,sediments in ridges and seamounts in this section are thin or even missing,with slumps developing locally.Therefore,the sediments are discontinuous and unevenly developed.The KPR formed under the control of tectonism such as volcanic activities and plate movements.In addition,exogenic forces such as underflow scouring and sedimentation also play a certain role in shaping seafloor landforms in the KPR.

Geomorphologic patterns of dune networks in the Tengger Desert,China

Dune networks are widely distributed in the world＇s deserts,which include primary ridges and secondary ridges.However,they have not been sufficiently studied in a systematic manner and their origins and spatial and morphological characteristics remain unclear.To provide information on the geomorphology of dune networks,we analyze the software geomorphologic patterns of the dune networks in China＇s Tengger Desert using matrix and laboratory to process remote-sensing images.Based on analysis of image features and their layout in a topographic map,we identify two types of dune networks （square and rectangular dune networks） with different size and morphological structures in the Tengger Desert.Four important geomorphic pattern parameters,ridge length,spacing,orientation and defect density,are analyzed.The length of primary ridges of dune networks decreases from northwest of the desert to the southeast,resulting an increasing spacing and a transition from rectangular dune networks to square dune networks.Wind regime and sediment supply are responsible for the variation in pattern parameters.We use the spacing and defect density data to estimate the construction time of dune networks and found that the dune networks in the Tengger Desert formed since about 1.3 ka BP.

Analyzing Anomalous Topographic Map Drainage System and Landform Evidence as a Glacial History Paradigm Problem: A Literature Review

While not usually stated, detailed topographic maps show well-mapped anomalous drainage system and other erosional landform evidence the accepted North American Cenozoic geologic and glacial history paradigm (accepted paradigm) does not permit geomorphologists to satisfactorily explain. A new and fundamentally different paradigm able to explain the drainage system and other erosional landform evidence has recently emerged, but requires what the accepted paradigm considers to be the preglacial (and probably mid-Cenozoic) Bell River drainage system to have formed on a melting continental ice sheet’s floor. The new paradigm’s melting ice sheet had previously eroded bedrock underneath it and caused crustal warping that raised continental regions and mountain ranges so as to create and occupy a deep “hole” while massive and prolonged meltwater floods flowed across rising continental regions and mountain ranges to the south. The new paradigm leads to a completely different middle Cenozoic geologic and glacial history than the accepted paradigm describes and the two paradigms are analyzed according to good science expectations such as using evidence anyone can see, applying common sense logic during each research step, producing consistent results, and simplicity of paradigm generated explanations. The new paradigm uses topographic map evidence anyone can see, appears to use common sense logic during each research step, and produces remarkably consistent results leading to a simpler Cenozoic northern Missouri River drainage basin region geologic and glacial history than what the accepted paradigm describes. Further work is needed to test the new paradigm’s ability to explain drainage system and erosional landform evidence in other geographic regions such as in the Ohio River drainage basin.

Bank erosion in an Andean páramo river system: Implications for hydro-development and carbon dynamics in the neotropical Andes

The páramo of the Northern Andes provide critically important ecosystem services to the Northern Andean region in the form of water provisioning and carbon sequestration, both of which are a result of the páramo?s organic-rich soils. Little is known, however, about the hydro-geomorphic characteristics of the rivers that drain these ecosystems. With impending plans for widespread hydro-development and increasing implementation of carbon-sequestering compensation for ecosystem services programs in the region it is imperative that we develop a thorough understanding of the hydrogeomorphic role that rivers play in this unique ecosystem. The objective of this study was to quantify bank erosion along an Amazonian headwater stream draining a small, relatively undisturbed páramo catchment to gain a better understanding of the natural erosion regime and the resulting sediment contributions from this unique ecosystem. This study implemented a combination of field, laboratory, and Geographic Information Systems techniques to quantify bank erosion rates and determine a bank erosion sediment yield from the Ningar River, a small páramo catchment(22.7 km^2) located in the eastern Andean cordillera of Ecuador. Results show that bank erosion rates range from 3.0 to ≥ 390.0 mm/yr, are highly episodic, and yield at least 487 tons of sediment annually to the Ningar River. These results imply that 1) páramo ecosystems substantially contribute to the sediment load of the Amazon River basin; 2) bank erosion is a potentially significant flux component of basin-scale carbon cycles in páramo ecosystems; and 3) hydrologic alteration campaigns(dam building) will likely critically alter these contributions and concomitantly disconnect a critical source of sediment and nutrients to downstream ecosystems.

Precision estimation and geomorphological analysis based on the DEM generated by InSAR: Taking Damxung-Yangbajain area as an example

Digital elevation model （DEM） can be generated by interferometric synthetic aperture radar （InSAR）. In this paper, the interferometric processing and analyses are carried out for Damxung-Yangbajain area in Tibet, using a pair of Europe remote-sensing satellite （ERS）-1/2 tandem SAR images acquired on 6 and 7 April 1996. A portion of the In- SAR-derived DEM is selected and compared with the 1：50 000 DEM to determine the precision of the InSAR-derived DEM. The comparison indicates that the root mean squared errors （RMSE）, which are used to evaluate error, are about 35, 60, 10, and 15 m in the studied area, mountainous area, basin area and near-fault area, respectively, suggesting that obvious errors are mainly in mountainous area. Besides, the limitation of InSAR technology to generate DEM is analyzed. Our investigation shows that InSAR is an effective tool in geodesy and an important complement to field surveying in some dangerous areas.

Geomorphologic characteristics and origin of the valley bottom troughs at the site of Three Gorges Dam

This paper describes valley bottom troughs of the Changjiang River and infers the geomorphologic development of troughs. Based on the morphology of the troughs, the following conclusions are drawn. (1) The deep troughs on the Three Gorges valley bottom are formed by river downcutting along the structural zones on the background of regional tectonic uplift at about 40-30 ka BP. (2) When river downcutting occurred in the river bed of Changjiang, the jets current (particularly eddy current) with a large number of pebbles ground and eroded the valley bottom, resulting in trough formation and deepening. Meanwhile, water currents with gravels and pebbles eroded the bank and the left wall of No.76 trough as well as the right wall of No.77 trough by striking, scouring, horizontal and vertical grinding. (3) The depth of the trough is mainly determined by the intensity of the water current and the consistency of bedrock against erosion, and is not controlled by the altitude of the sea level as the base level of erosion.

Mapping Sea Level Rise Behavior in an Estuarine Delta System：A Case Study along the Shanghai Coast

Sea level rise （SLR） is a major projected threat of climate change that is expected to affect developing coastal cities located in estuarine delta regions, Shanghai is one such city, being located in the Yangtze River Delta （YRD）, It is difficult, however, for decision-makers to implement adaptation due to the uncer- tain causes, magnitudes, and timings of SLR behaviors, This paper attempts to map the causes and mag- nitudes of SLR behaviors on a decadal scale, We analyze the tidal level records from 11 tidal gauge stations and the corresponding bathymetry measurements around these stations since 1921, We identify three new SLR behaviors along the Shanghai coast due to anthropogenic geomorphologic changes （AGCs）, besides the well-known eustatic sea level rise （ESLR）, tectonic subsidence （TS）, and urban land subsidence （ULS）, The first new behavior is regional sea level rise （RSLR）, which occurs as a result of land reclamation and deep waterway regulation, The second is regional sea level fall （RSLF）, which occurs because the channel bed is eroded due to sediment supply decline in the river catchment, The last SLR behavior is local tidal datum rise （LTDR）. Thus, we project that the magnitude of SLR for the Shanghai coast ranges from 10 cm to 16 cm from 2011 to 2030, Clarifying SLR behaviors is important to aid local decision- makers in planning structural and non-structural measures to combat escalating flood damage costs in an estuarine delta system; this field is full of future challenges,

The Effect of the Geomorphologic Type as Surrogate to the Time Factor on Digital Soil Mapping

Many environmental variables are frequently used to predict values of soil in locations where they are not measured. Digital soil mapping (DSM) has a long-standing convention to describe soils as a function of climate, organisms, topography, parent material, time and space. It is obvious that terrain, climate, parent material and organisms are used frequently in the prediction of soil properties while time and space factors are rarely used. Time is the indirect factor for the formation and development of soil. Moreover, it is very useful to explicit and implicit estimates of soil age for DSM. However, it is often difficult to obtain time factor. In the absence of explicit soil age data, geomorphologic data are commonly related to soil relative age. Consequently, this study adopts the geomorphologic types (genesis type of geomorphology) as surrogate to the time factor and analyzes its effect on DSM. To examine this idea, we selected the Ili region of northwestern China as the study area. This paper uses geomorphologic data from a new digital geomorphology map as the implicit soil age in predictive soil mapping. For this study, Soil-landscape inference model (SoLIM) was used to predict soil properties based on the individual representation of each sample. This model applies the terrain (topography), climate, parent material (geology) and time (geomorphologic type) to predict soil values in the study area where they are not measured. And the independent sample validation method was used to estimate the precision of results. The validation result shows that the use of geomorphologic data as surrogate to the time factor in the individual representation leads to a considerable and significant increase in the accuracy of results. In other words, implicit estimates of soil age by genesis type of geomorphology are very useful for DSM. This increase was due to the high purity of the geomorphologic data. This means that the geomorphologic variable, if used, can improve the quality of DSM. Predicted value through the proposed approach comes closer to the real value.

Geomorphological mapping for the valorization of the alpine environment. A methodological proposal tested in the Loana Valley(Sesia Val Grande Geopark, Western Italian Alps)

Geomorphological mapping plays a key role in landscape representation: it is the starting point for many applications and for the realization of thematic maps, such as hazard and risk maps, geoheritage and geotourism maps. Traditional geomorphological maps are useful for scientific purposes but they need to be simplified for different aims as management and education. In tourism valorization, mapping of geomorphological resources(i.e., geosites, and geomorphosites), and of geomorphic evidences of past hazardous geomorphological events, is important for increasing knowledge about landscape evolution and active processes, potentially involving geomorphosites and hiking trails. Active geomorphosites, as those widespread in mountain regions, testify the high dynamicity of geomorphic processes and their link with climatic conditions. In the present paper, we propose a method to produce and to update cartographic supports(Geomorphological Boxes)realized starting from a traditional geomorphological survey and mapping. The Geomorphological Boxes are geomorphological representation of single, composed or complex landforms drawn on satellite images, using the official Italian geomorphological legend(ISPRA symbols). Such cartographic representation is also addressed to the analysis(identification, evaluation and selection) of Potential Geomorphosites and Geotrails. The method has been tested in the upper portion of the Loana Valley(Western Italian Alps), located within the borders of the Sesia Val Grande Geopark, recognized by UNESCO in 2013. The area has a good potential for geotourism and for educational purposes. We identified 15 Potential Geomorphosites located along 2 Geotrails; they were ranked according to specific attributes also in relation with a Reference Geomorphosite located in the Loana hydrographic basin and inserted in official national and regional databases of geosites(ISPRA; Regione Piemonte). Finally, the ranking of Potential Geomorphosites allowed to select the most valuable ones for valorization or geoconservation purposes. In thisframework, examples of Geomorphological Boxes are proposed as supports to geo-risk education practices.