Comparing roughness maps generated by five roughness descriptors for LiDAR-derived digital elevation models
This work addresses terrain surface roughness quantification for geospatial analysis, but it is incremental as it compares existing descriptors without introducing new methods.
This study compared five roughness descriptors for LiDAR-derived digital elevation models across three terrains, finding global pattern similarities but local distinctions, with spatial scales having a smaller impact on rougher terrain and interpolation methods showing minimal influence.
Terrain surface roughness, often described abstractly, poses challenges in quantitative characterisation with various descriptors found in the literature. This study compares five commonly used roughness descriptors, exploring correlations among their quantified terrain surface roughness maps across three terrains with distinct spatial variations. Additionally, the study investigates the impacts of spatial scales and interpolation methods on these correlations. Dense point cloud data obtained through Light Detection and Ranging technique are used in this study. The findings highlight both global pattern similarities and local pattern distinctions in the derived roughness maps, emphasizing the significance of incorporating multiple descriptors in studies where local roughness values play a crucial role in subsequent analyses. The spatial scales were found to have a smaller impact on rougher terrain, while interpolation methods had minimal influence on roughness maps derived from different descriptors.