Randhöhe

Randhöhe is a term used in geomorphology and cartography to describe the elevation at the outer edge of a landform or the height of a boundary along a relief feature. The term is not standardized across all German-language sources, and its exact definition can vary by author, project, or regional convention. Broadly, it denotes the altitude at which terrain reaches the boundary with surrounding terrain, such as the edge of a plateau, the crest of an escarpment, the margin of a dune field, or a river terrace.

Etymologically, Randhöhe combines Rand (edge, border) and Höhe (height). It appears in some topographic descriptions and terrain analyses within German-speaking contexts, where scholars emphasize the height value associated with a feature’s outer limit rather than interior relief attributes. Because usage is not uniform, Randhöhe may be defined slightly differently in different studies.

Measuring Randhöhe typically relies on digital elevation models, contour lines, and cross-sections from topographic maps. In practice, it is identified as the elevation corresponding to the edge line or boundary of a specified landform, and may be used to quantify the relief amplitude between adjacent features or to compare edge heights across a landscape. The concept is often encountered in discussions of escarpments, plateaus, terraces, and dune systems.

See also: relief, topography, contour line, terrain analysis.