Comparison of machine learning classification algorithms for land cover change in a coastal area affected by the 2010 Earthquake and Tsunami in Chile

Abstract. Earthquakes and tsunamis are the natural events that generate subsequent geomorphological land cover changes. The damage is usually of such importance and of such a diverse nature that it is imperative to have tools that allow quick and precise monitoring. Thus, know which classification methods have the best potential to obtain greater precision will improve natural disaster management. We analyze Tubul locality (37.21º S; 73.43º O) in Biobío region, Chile, in which greatest geomorphological changes were documented after the earthquake and tsunami occurred 27/February/2010. These changes can be analyzed using different machine learning methods. We investigate the Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Random Forest (RF), versus the Maximum Likelihood (ML) classification method of Landsat TM and ASTER satellite images. The comparison of the performance of the classifiers and certifying accuracy improvement shows that machine learning algorithms are superior to traditional classification methods in terms of overall accuracy and robustness. The general classification accuracy was approximately 97 %. We also visualize the land cover transformations, showing that 26 % of the region was altered. The results of performance testing of machine learning methodologies was consistent with other studies and presents a valid application in the visualization of land cover changes in areas of natural disasters.