Elevationsuch

Elevationsuch is a term used in geospatial analysis to describe the process of locating a geographic point on a digital elevation model (DEM) that corresponds to a specified elevation. It functions as a vertical search or elevation-matching operation and is useful when a feature must be identified at an exact height, rather than at a fixed grid point.

Data and methods: Elevationsuch relies on terrain elevation data such as DEMs or LiDAR-derived height models. Common methods include interpolating between neighboring grid cells (bilinear or bicubic interpolation) to estimate coordinates at the target elevation, and contour-based approaches that identify lines of equal elevation and compute their intersections with search paths. Some implementations perform iterative searches along a line, ray, or region to converge on the target height, accommodating slope and terrain variability.

Applications: The technique supports tasks in mapping, environmental modeling, civil engineering, and navigation. Examples include determining the ground location that corresponds to a planned wind turbine hub height, aligning infrastructure features with terrain, or extracting points that lie at a specified elevation for topographic analysis.

Limitations: Results depend on the resolution and accuracy of input data. Elevation uncertainty, multiple locations at the same height on complex terrain, and discontinuities between grid cells can yield ambiguous or multiple solutions. Users often report a positional tolerance rather than an exact point.

See also: digital elevation model, contour line, GIS, interpolation.