Mapping and description of topography based on system approach

Abstract

The author works out a morphological system (which is a presentation of the Earth's surface composition and structure as a totality of point, linear and areal elements and their spatial relations) to apply to the topography mapping and description. Morphological map is considered as a -formalised cartographic model which is strictly homomorphic to the real Earth surface. An universal legend of the morphological map is introduced (as well as a unified form of a topography description) based on a universal scale and object character of the morphological system. A notion of the Earth surface anisotropy and local structural coordinate grid anisotropy are introduced, a technique of the coordinate grid construction is suggested. The importance of the grid is emphasized with view to relief description, morphometric constructions and estimation of the similarity of the Earth surface areas with each other and with experimental models. A form is developed of landform presentation as symbolic formal models-sets of spatially correlated elements recorded in a certain order. Their combinations are classified according to their composition, number of members and vertical and lateral associations. Some ways of the morphological system application to the topography dynamics interpretation are outlined.