Principles of Topography

Topography is an interdisciplinary field which focuses on the surface shape, features and description of land surfaces. It includes the records of the relief or terrain, identification of specific landforms, and three-dimensional quality of the surface. A topographic study is done for geological exploration and military planning. The objective is to determine the position of any feature and point in a horizontal coordinate system. There are numerous forms of topographic data which involves raw survey data, remote sensing data, etc. A topographic map is a type of map in modern mapping which is characterized by large scale detail. It is a quantitative representation of relief using contour lines. Various techniques used in topography include surveying, aerial photography and satellite imagery, photogrammetry, remote sensing, etc. This book aims to shed light on some of the unexplored aspects of topography. Different approaches, evaluations and methodologies on topography have been included in it. The topics covered in this book offer the readers new insights into this field.