Canscan — An Algorithm for Automatic Extraction of Canyons

Abstract: This article introduces a novel algorithm for automatic extraction of canyons which was developed in the Department of the Remote Sensing and Land Information Systems at the University of Freiburg (FELIS). The algorithm detects canyons by means of user-defined dimension parameters and elevation information provided in a Digital Terrain Model (DTM). The extraction procedure is based on the geometric interpretation of canyons through which the input dimension parameters are identified. The dimension parameters are used for identifying cross-sections across DTM on the basis of which canyons are extracted. In addition to the detailed description of the extraction algorithm, this paper includes the results obtained in test regions as well as a thorough discussion.