A new model for optimizing relief window size

Abstract

Local relief is defined by the difference in height between the peaks of highest elevation and the valley bottoms in a region, which is scale dependent. The higher the altitude is, the larger the relief is. But each DEM data has only optimal relief window size, which just reflects the physical integrity of the landscape and has strong representation within a certain range. In this paper, we argue the optimum relief window size in Xunhua-Guide district, in the northeast Tibetan Plateau, which is 450m × 450m, and discuss the geomorphological characteristics of Xunhua-Guide district based on a high quality digital elevation model (DEM). The largest relief is localized along the plateau’s mountain rim, and mainly associated with active faults. It is characterized by low values of local relief which are related to sediment-floored flats and the deeply incised valleys prevailing in the low elevations and planation surface in the high elevations. Relief Window Size provides an effective means to obtain more accurate surface information and quantitative analysis of the terrain.