The Role of Digital Elevation Models in Increasing the Accuracy of Geophysical Studies of Anthropogenic Metallic Pollution

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Abstract
The study focuses on improving the accuracy of geophysical investigations of anthropogenic metallic pollution using digital elevation models (DEMs). The methodology was tested at the Norilsk site, located in close proximity to the slag heaps of the nickel plant, based on DEM data obtained through unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to conduct a detailed geomorphological analysis of the area. Geophysical methods such as the natural field (NF) method and frequency sounding were also used to identify zones of potential metallic pollution, as well as the characteristics and spatial positions of predicted permafrost layers. The main emphasis is on the advantages of integrating geophysical methods with DEMs and derived cartographic materials to improve the accuracy and reliability of surface metallic pollution detection and mapping, considering the geocryological situation within the study area. Geophysical methods of natural field (NF) and frequency sounding were employed to determine the geoelectrical properties of the study area. Reconnaissance surveys and flight missions were conducted to create the digital elevation model and orthoimage, and a surface water runoff map was developed based on the generated rasters and their interpretation. Based on the obtained geophysical data, zones of possible metallic pollution spread from the slag heaps were identified, which were confirmed through DEM analysis by the geomorphology of the study site. The distribution of specific electrical resistance fields was also interpreted in consideration of the collected data and validated through borehole drilling. It is worth noting that the integrated approach helped reveal the need to revise the interpretation plan, as only through the analysis of the nature and intensity of metallic pollution could the abnormally low resistance values in areas far from thermokarst lakes, with relatively shallow permafrost depths, be explained. Additionally, it became possible to qualitatively assess the zones of dust material accumulation.