Korkeuseroa

Korkeuseroa is a Finnish geographic term that denotes the vertical difference in elevation between two points on the Earth's surface. It is commonly used in cartography, surveying, and landscape analysis to describe how high one point is relative to another.

Measuring korkeuseroa involves determining elevations and calculating their difference. Elevations can be obtained from topographic maps, digital elevation models, GNSS/GPS surveys, or laser scanning (LiDAR). Elevation values are expressed in meters, and the difference is meaningful in terms of which point is higher. It is important to use a consistent vertical datum to ensure comparability.

Applications include hydrology (watershed delineation and flood risk assessment), geology (relief and slope assessment), civil engineering (grading and earthworks), and urban planning (visibility and landscape integration). In mountainous or coastal terrain, korkeuseroa can range from a few meters to several hundred meters depending on the local relief.

Related concepts include korkeus (the absolute height of a point above a reference level, usually sea level) and hypsometry (the distribution of elevations within a region). In Finland, korkeusero is widely used in geospatial analyses with data from national sources such as the Finnish National Land Survey (Maanmittauslaitos).