New trends in digital terrain analysis: landform definition, representation, and classification

Abstract

This article provides an ontological as well as methodological evaluation of recent progress in terrain analysis. It focuses on six topographic factors, or existences, that are important in characterizing the biophysical functions of topography: elevation, surface shape, topographic position, topographic context, spatial scale, and landform object. Terrain analysis approaches are assessed according to what they really deal with, as well as how they work. Important trends are consequently identified, in which spatial scale plays critical but non-uniform roles. An index-based approach to the compound function of multiple topographic existences is recognized as successful in modelling surface/subsurface moisture and mass movement potential, but not mountain temperature. A classification scheme categorises defined landforms in the literature according to the way they exist in human knowledge rather than their morphological properties and derivation methods. Five categories are outlined: bona fide objects, prototypical objects, fiat objects, landform classes, and multiscale objects. Peak object delineation is lastly assessed as an example demonstrating some of the recent trends in terrain analysis. Representations of higher-scale landscape context are identified to have great potential of linking vastly different spatial scales, as well as bridging field- versus object-based treatments of the terrain surface.

Remote sensing and spatial analysis of aeolian sand dunes: A review and outlook

“…This is known as specific geomorphometry, whereby landforms are denoted as points, lines, polygons, or symbols. While this approach can be reliable for some dunes that have process-based arguments to support delineation (bona fide landforms following Deng, 2007), such as well-dispersed barchans on non-sandy substrates, there are no consistent process-based arguments to support the delineation of all types of aeolian dunes (referred to as vague landforms, or semantic landforms following Deng, 2007). The example of dunes at White Sands in Fig.…”

A Conceptual Model for the Representation of Landforms Using Ontology Design Patterns

“…According to (Deng, 2007), landform classification falls into two groups: on one hand set theory where components are morphometric points (more than often pixels) yielding a segmentation of the terrain, and on the other hand category theory where landforms are identified as objects. On topographic maps, landforms are mainly qualitative objects which are not explicitly portrayed on the map but interpreted by the map reader.…”

Quantitative Geomorphometrics for Terrain Characterization

“…A number of recent studies have demonstrated the utility of high resolution DEMs for quantitative terrain analysis [17]- [20]. This "new generation" of topographic data has resulted in the development of new methodologies for evaluating surface landforms [21]- [25] and has helped to advance our understanding of Earth surface processes [26]- [28]. Furthermore, we have taken advantage of the increasing sophistication of quantitative algorithms for evaluating stream networks [29]- [36] that have been facilitated by the availability of increased memory and computing speed on computational platforms.…”