Morphological operators to extract channel networks from digital elevation models

Abstract

The automated extraction of drainage networks includes generation and processing of digital elevation models (DEMs) obtained from the remotely sensed data having stereo viewing capability. The latter aspect generally aims to extract terrain features such as elevation contours and channel networks. In this technical note, the application of morphological operators to extract channel networks from the digital elevation model is described. The methodology is illustrated using a transcendentally generated DEM that bears the spatially distributed regions in grey levels, assumed as the regions of topographic reliefs and the V-shaped crenulations in successive elevation contours. The authors conclude that the adaptation of this approach to extract channel networks from DEM data is straightforward and is simple both algorithmically and computationally.