Terrain Ruggedness Index (TRI)
Definition
A raster-based metric that quantifies local elevation variability by summing the absolute difference between a central grid cell and all adjacent cells. High values indicate broken, difficult terrain; low values indicate flat ground.
- Data type
- Raster-based elevation grid
- Calculation
- Sum of absolute elevation difference to adjacent cells
- High value
- Broken, difficult terrain
- Low value
- Flat ground
- Application
- Predicting likely body-deposition locations
Common questions
Why would low TRI areas be prioritised in a search?+
Flatter terrain is generally easier for a person to carry and bury a body in without excessive effort or noise, so search planners often weight low-ruggedness zones near access points more heavily, though this is one input among several.
Can TRI alone predict a grave location?+
No, it is combined with other geospatial layers such as vegetation cover, proximity to roads, and soil type, because ruggedness on its own does not account for concealment value or accessibility.
Related terms
- Geomorphology
- The branch of Earth science that studies landform origin, classification, and the physical processes that create and modify surface relief over time.
- Grave Subsidence
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- Hydraulic Sorting
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- Karst
- Terrain formed on soluble rock, typically limestone or dolomite, characterised by sinkholes, dolines, caves, and underground drainage. Surface material can enter the...
- Mass Movement
- The downslope displacement of soil, sediment, or rock under gravity, including slow creep, debris flows, and shallow landslides. All can relocate buried...