A Global Continuous Multi-Scale Terrain Contour Simplification Method Based on the Level Set
Multi-scale spatial representation has been widely used in geographic information and online mapping systems. Terrain contour, which provides a reference for understanding and monitoring the Earth’s surface, is an important data category. For the multi-scale representation of contour lines, simplifi...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-04-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/9/3855 |
| _version_ | 1827694204307898368 |
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| author | Haoyue Qian Lin Yang Zejun Zuo Run Wang Wenjie Zhen Shunping Zhou |
| author_facet | Haoyue Qian Lin Yang Zejun Zuo Run Wang Wenjie Zhen Shunping Zhou |
| author_sort | Haoyue Qian |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Multi-scale spatial representation has been widely used in geographic information and online mapping systems. Terrain contour, which provides a reference for understanding and monitoring the Earth’s surface, is an important data category. For the multi-scale representation of contour lines, simplification is a fundamental step in providing different levels of detail for linear features. However, achieving a global continuous multi-scale simplification of contours remains a challenge. Therefore, based on the concept of level set, a novel contour simplification method labeled the continuous changing surface model (CCSM) was proposed in this paper. The CCSM was built by using a non-uniform rational B-spline constrained with characteristics and was then intersected with a set of horizontal planes with progressive height values. The generated intersection lines are considered continuous multi-scale simplified contours. Experiments were conducted on a 1:50,000 real contour dataset to verify the effectiveness of CCSM. Results showed that the changes in the shape of the simplified contours generated by CCSM are more natural and progressive than those generated by two other significant simplification methods. CCSM can also effectively balance local and global structures and has potential applications in obtaining a continuous multi-scale representation of terrain contours. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:59:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6144792856e8436a9320edb5cd717db4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:59:51Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-6144792856e8436a9320edb5cd717db42023-11-21T17:00:39ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172021-04-01119385510.3390/app11093855A Global Continuous Multi-Scale Terrain Contour Simplification Method Based on the Level SetHaoyue Qian0Lin Yang1Zejun Zuo2Run Wang3Wenjie Zhen4Shunping Zhou5Key Laboratory of Urban Land Resources Monitoring and Simulation, Ministry of Land and Resources, 8007 Hongli West Road, Shenzhen 518034, ChinaSchool of Geography and Information Engineering, China University of Geosciences, 388 Lumo Road, Wuhan 430074, ChinaSchool of Geography and Information Engineering, China University of Geosciences, 388 Lumo Road, Wuhan 430074, ChinaSchool of Geography and Information Engineering, China University of Geosciences, 388 Lumo Road, Wuhan 430074, ChinaSchool of Geography and Information Engineering, China University of Geosciences, 388 Lumo Road, Wuhan 430074, ChinaSchool of Geography and Information Engineering, China University of Geosciences, 388 Lumo Road, Wuhan 430074, ChinaMulti-scale spatial representation has been widely used in geographic information and online mapping systems. Terrain contour, which provides a reference for understanding and monitoring the Earth’s surface, is an important data category. For the multi-scale representation of contour lines, simplification is a fundamental step in providing different levels of detail for linear features. However, achieving a global continuous multi-scale simplification of contours remains a challenge. Therefore, based on the concept of level set, a novel contour simplification method labeled the continuous changing surface model (CCSM) was proposed in this paper. The CCSM was built by using a non-uniform rational B-spline constrained with characteristics and was then intersected with a set of horizontal planes with progressive height values. The generated intersection lines are considered continuous multi-scale simplified contours. Experiments were conducted on a 1:50,000 real contour dataset to verify the effectiveness of CCSM. Results showed that the changes in the shape of the simplified contours generated by CCSM are more natural and progressive than those generated by two other significant simplification methods. CCSM can also effectively balance local and global structures and has potential applications in obtaining a continuous multi-scale representation of terrain contours.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/9/3855cartographic generalizationcontourcontinuous simplificationmulti-scalelevel setNURBS |
| spellingShingle | Haoyue Qian Lin Yang Zejun Zuo Run Wang Wenjie Zhen Shunping Zhou A Global Continuous Multi-Scale Terrain Contour Simplification Method Based on the Level Set Applied Sciences cartographic generalization contour continuous simplification multi-scale level set NURBS |
| title | A Global Continuous Multi-Scale Terrain Contour Simplification Method Based on the Level Set |
| title_full | A Global Continuous Multi-Scale Terrain Contour Simplification Method Based on the Level Set |
| title_fullStr | A Global Continuous Multi-Scale Terrain Contour Simplification Method Based on the Level Set |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Global Continuous Multi-Scale Terrain Contour Simplification Method Based on the Level Set |
| title_short | A Global Continuous Multi-Scale Terrain Contour Simplification Method Based on the Level Set |
| title_sort | global continuous multi scale terrain contour simplification method based on the level set |
| topic | cartographic generalization contour continuous simplification multi-scale level set NURBS |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/9/3855 |
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