Point density
Definition
The number of LiDAR returns per unit area of ground surface, typically expressed as points per square metre. Higher density enables finer DTM resolution and better detection of small-scale features.
Related terms
- Bare-earth DTM
- A digital terrain model produced by filtering LiDAR returns to ground-level pulses only, removing vegetation and structure returns. The resulting surface represents...
- Curvature
- A DTM derivative measuring the rate of change of slope. Profile curvature (along the slope direction) identifies convex mounds and concave hollows....
- Hillshade
- A raster derived from a DTM by simulating illumination from a defined sun position (azimuth and altitude angle). Produces light-and-shadow contrasts that...
- LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)
- An active remote sensing technique that emits laser pulses and measures the time of return to calculate distance to reflecting surfaces. Airborne...
- Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS)
- A ground-based 3D LIDAR survey instrument that captures millions of range measurements per scan to produce a millimetre-accurate point cloud of the...
Explained in
- LiDAR Terrain Analysis for Concealment and DisturbanceThe number of LiDAR returns per unit area of ground surface, typically expressed as points per square metre. Higher density enables finer DTM resolution and be...