Identification of morphological anomalies by 2D discrete wavelet transform

Digital elevation models processing is a hot topic for identifying the main topographic features of an area. In particular, medium resolution digital elevation models are of particular interest for analysing regional phenomena, like geomorphological evolution and ongoing or past tectonic processes. The key point of these analyses is the extraction of these features from elevation models. In this context, an effective approach is constituted by 2D discrete wavelet transforms. These allow for a multi-scale decomposition, which permits to extract details of digital elevation models, normally not clearly evident looking just at the topography. These details are often associable to anomalies or singularities of the topography, which may be related by a careful geomorphological interpretation to regional tectonic processes or, more in general, to landscape evolution phenomena, i.e. big landslides, erosion, etc.