Análisis de la variabilidad del relieve a partir de modelos digitales del terreno

Abstract

The treatment of topographic data from Digital Terrain Models, by means of a raster-type Geographic Information System, allows to obtain information about geomorphometry. Roughness maps have been carried out from a secondary topographic parameter, calculated from variability of slopes and slope aspects on a defined spacial framework. The obtained values are of qualitative character, and they are expressed as zones of low, medium or high topographic roughness. Interpretation of these maps allows the identification of lineaments of high roughness, into a low roughness framework, as well as wider zones of contrasting roughness values. In general, this parameter allows identification of relief discontinuities, as slope breakes, river cuts and ridge lines, related with lithological boundaries or tectonic structures, keeping in mind the pixel size of the Digital Terrain Model, considered as the dimension of the minimum representable relief shape. Depending on Model resolution, the information will have a more or less regional character.