SEMI-AUTOMATIC METHOD DELIMITATION OF BASIC RELIEF UNITS

The importance of geomorphology to geoscience and related areas makes geomorphologists pursue an accurate and realistic representation of the Earth's surface. The methods that are used nowadays to map the "terrestrial relief" face complications to define geomorphological units precisely, because they are subjective. Therefore, even very similar units are often represented differently, which creates obstacles in the field. This work presents a method that allows greater accuracy when representing the "terrestrial relief", with no subjectivity in demarcating the geomorphological units. A routine was developed to demarcate ranks in altimetric amplitude and declivity, through hypsometric inflection (Hif), hypsometric maxim (Hmax), clinographic inflection (Cif) and clinographic maxim (Cmax). When those variables are connected, they allow us to delimit the Basic Relief Units (BRU), defining a new method to represent geomorphological cartography, which is precise and easy to replicate.