landform
Let an agent reason about landforms by type, form, process of origin and scale, and link named features to the kind of landform they are.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent reason about landforms by type, form, process of origin and scale, and link named features to the kind of landform they are.
A natural or artificial feature of the solid surface of the Earth or another planetary body, such as a mountain, valley, plain, plateau, dune or cave, characterised by its shape and origin.
What it is for: Describing and classifying the shape of terrain, which governs hazards, land use, water and habitat.
It can be map and measure it, with surveys and elevation models; classify it, by form and by the process that made it; name it, through geographic naming authorities; change it, by erosion, construction, mining or disaster.
Distinguishing features
Defined by shape and origin, not by the material alone
Can be natural or made by people
Classified at many scales, and one feature can contain others
Named instances are separate from the type
What it looks like
A recognisable shape of terrain: a peak, a ridge, a valley, a basin, a slope or a flat; scale ranges from a small mound to a mountain range.
Physical character
relief: 1-8849 metres - height difference from surroundings
slope: 0-90 degrees
area: square metres to thousands of square kilometres area
How it is recognised
Shape in profile and plan view
Contour patterns on maps and elevation models
Surface material and vegetation often follow the landform
Related models
is part of - landforms combine into landscapes
is shaped by - erosion, deposition and tectonics
has instance - each named mountain or valley is an instance
is studied by - the discipline
In practice
Families and kinds
by process: tectonic, volcanic, fluvial, glacial, aeolian, coastal, karst
by form: elevated, depressed, flat, slope
by origin: natural, anthropogenic
by scale: micro, meso, macro landforms
Identifiers
GeoNames feature code class T codes such as MT, VAL feature type codes in the GeoNames gazetteer
gazetteer id national gazetteer numbers for named features
Standards and regulation
National geographic naming authorities and gazetteers
UN Group of Experts on Geographical Names guidance
Failure modes and hazards
Landslides, rockfalls and floods tied to particular landforms
Confusing the type with a named feature
Inconsistent classification across schemes
Also called
+202
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Form Shape and dimensions.
Landforms are first recognised by shape; form is the entry point.
Shape
Profile and plan.
Form description
The shape and its measurements.
- What is the form of this landform, and how is it measured? measurement
- What data source were the measurements taken from? provenance
Scale
Size and nesting.
Scale and nesting
Size and the larger features containing it.
- At what scale is this landform described? measurement
- Which larger landform contains it? definition
Origin The processes that made it.
Origin explains form and predicts change.
Process
Geomorphic process.
Formative process
The process responsible.
- Which process formed this landform? definition
- How certain is that interpretation? measurement
Age and change
When it formed and how it changes.
Age and activity
Its age and current activity.
- How old is this landform, and is it still active? measurement
- How fast is it changing? measurement
Naming and mapping Named features and maps.
People meet landforms through names and maps.
Names
Official and local names.
Naming record
The names and their authority.
- What is the official name of this feature, and by which authority? provenance
- Which local or historical names are in use? definition
Mapping
Maps and elevation models.
Map sources
The maps and models that show it.
- Which maps and elevation models show this feature, at what resolution? provenance
- Where do the sources disagree? boundary
Hazard and use What it means for people.
Landforms decide where hazards occur and how land can be used.
Hazards
Landslides, floods and rockfall.
Hazard profile
The hazards linked to this landform.
- Which hazards are associated with this landform? boundary
- Is it monitored, and by whom? provenance
Land use and protection
Use and conservation status.
Use and status
The land use and protection.
- How is this landform used, and is it protected? definition
- What activities are restricted on it? boundary
What the second pass must settle
- Which classification scheme should the registry use for landform types?
- How should anthropogenic landforms be distinguished?
- How should scale be recorded so nested landforms do not duplicate?