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.
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
- The formation of a shallow depression above a clandestine burial as backfill compacts and organic matter decomposes, creating a micro-topographic anomaly detectable...
- Hydraulic sorting
- The differential transport of skeletal elements by flowing water based on their size, density, and hydrodynamic shape. Small flat bones travel furthest;...
- 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...
Explained in
- Geomorphology and Body-Deposition PredictionA raster-based metric that quantifies local elevation variability by summing the absolute difference between a central grid cell and all adjacent cells. High v...