High-Resolution UAV-Based Geomorphological Mapping of the Maricá Coastal Plain (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil): Surface Expression of a Quaternary Barrier–Lagoon System
Coastal plains are low-relief environments where subtle topographic variations govern sedimentary processes, landscape structure, and hydrological dynamics. Along the southeastern Brazilian coast, barrier–lagoon systems record Quaternary coastal evolution and sea-level oscillations; however, detailed mapping of these environments is constrained by the spatial resolution of conventional cartographic bases. This study presents high-resolution morphological mapping of the Maricá coastal plain (Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil) based on digital elevation models (DEMs) derived from UAV photogrammetry, combined with geomorphological interpretation following the IBGE classification framework. The DEM resolved subtle altimetric variations associated with beach ridges and relict lagoonal depressions not represented in conventional topographic maps, providing a surface proxy for the underlying stratigraphic architecture. UAV-derived elevation models significantly improve the identification of morphological units in low-relief coastal environments, establishing a spatial framework for future stratigraphic investigations along the southeastern Brazilian coast.