Concept of the field in modern geomorphology

Abstract

Present-day ideas on the topography-field (field of elevations) are considered at the conceptual, methodical and technical levels. A conceptual apparatus of analytic geomorphology is introduced which is to represent adequately main components and aspects of the topography-field morphology. Notions of the external and internal forms (i. e. morphology and structure) are elaborated, the former being subdivided into topology and metrics, the latter-into vertical and horizontal structure. Metrics include, in turn, external a lTd internal geometry. Definitions are given for symmetry, hierarchy and structural position. The topographic structure is shown to be of importance for the topography functioning as a material system. The morphological study of the topography is shown to be of current concern with a view to the automatic processing of the remote sensing data and development of the computer-based geoinformation systems and geomorphological cadastres.