Physically-based land surface segmentation: Theoretical background and outline of interpretations

• DOI: 10.7287/peerj.preprints.27075v1
• Publication Date: 2018-07-31T11:03:59Z
• Authors: Jozef Minar; Peter Bandura; Juraj Holec; Anton Popov; Lucian Drăguţ; Michal Gallay; Jaroslav Hofierka; Ján Kaňuk; Ian S. Evans
• Keywords: Disequilibrium; Closeness; Basis (linear algebra)

Incorporation of a physically-based general geomorphological theory directly into the segmentation algorithm is fundamental to land surface segmentation. Topographical steady state for morphostructural segmentations with five types elementary forms defined by principle equilibrium provides basis definition input variables. Examples application introduce two new geomorphometric variables: Index Steady State (ISS) quantifying closeness regions topographic state; and Slope Disequilibrium (ISD), expressing percentage deviation from an gravitational Potential Energy Surface (PES) mass flow.