User Guide: The DEM Breakline and Differencing Analysis Tool: Gridded Elevation Model Analysis with a Convenient Graphical User Interface

Abstract

Gridded elevation models of the earths surface derived from airborne lidar data or other sources can provide qualitative and quantitative information about the terrain and its surface features through analysis of the local spatial variation in elevation. The DEM Breakline and Differencing Analysis Tool was developed to extract and display micro-terrain features and vegetative cover based on the numerical modeling of elevation discontinuities or breaklines (breaks-in-slope), slope, terrain ruggedness, local surface optima, and the local elevation difference between first surface and bare earth input models. Using numerical algorithms developed in-house at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Geospatial Research Laboratory, various parameters are calculated for each cell in the model matrix in an initial processing phase. The results are combined and thresholded by the user in different ways for display and analysis. A graphical user interface provides control of input models, processing, and display as color-mapped overlays. Output displays can be saved as images, and the overlay data can be saved as raster layers for input into geographic information systems for further analysis.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 2022
Accession Number
AD1176944

Entities

People

  • S. B. Blundell

Organizations

  • Engineer Research and Development Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Algorithms
  • Army Corps Of Engineers
  • Buildings And Structures
  • Computer Programs
  • Computers
  • Coordinate Systems
  • Detection
  • Digital Elevation Models
  • Discontinuities
  • Earth Models
  • Engineers
  • Geographic Information Systems
  • Geography
  • Graphical User Interface
  • Image Processing
  • Information Systems
  • Laser Radar
  • Models
  • Remote Sensing
  • Terrain Models
  • User Interface

Readers

  • Computer Vision.