Most terrain models are created based on a sampling of real-world terrain, and are represented using linearly-interpolated surfaces such as triangulated irregular networks or digital elevation models. The existing methods for the creation of such models and representations of real-world terrain lack a crucial analytical consideration of factors such as the errors introduced during sampling and ... read moregeological variations between sample points. We present a volumetric representation of real-world terrain in which the volume encapsulates both sampling errors and geological variations and dynamically changes size based on such errors and variations. We define this volume using an octree, and demonstrate that when used within applications such as line-of-sight, the calculations are guaranteed to be within a user-defined confidence level of the real-world terrain. Copyright 2007 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) One print or electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic reproduction and distribution, duplication of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial purposes, or modification of the content of the paper are prohibited.read less
Thomas Butkiewicz, Remco Chang, Zachary Wartell, William Ribarsky, "Analyzing sampled terrain volumetrically with regard to error and geologic variation", Proc. SPIE 6495, Visualization and Data Analysis 2007, 64950O (29 January 2007); doi: 10.1117/12.718019; http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.718019.