Digital Elevation Models for Environmental Studies

This book offers a comprehensive examination of Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) and their applications in environmental analysis, combining foundational concepts with practical methodologies. It introduces key principles of geoprocessing and GIS, provides an in-depth overview of global DEMs and their limitations, and systematically explores techniques for terrain characterization, flow direction and drainage network extraction, basin delineation, flow path analysis, and inundation mapping for applications such as reservoir planning. Three dedicated chapters on topographic indices bridge theory and practice in hydrology, ecology, and wind exposure studies. The final chapter addresses the critical role of error and uncertainty in DEM processing, emphasizing quality assessment in hydrological modeling. Richly illustrated and grounded in current research, this resource equips students and professionals to effectively integrate DEMs into environmental studies.

Adriano Paz is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), Brazil. His research focuses on hydrologic modeling, Digital Elevation Models, GIS applications in water resources, urban drainage, and environmental monitoring, with a particular emphasis on developing methods and algorithms for terrain data processing. He has received notable recognition, including the ASCE-EWRI Best Case Study Award and the Outstanding Reviewer Award from the Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, and actively contributes as a reviewer for leading journals in the field.