Abstract
The analysis of the geometry of natural relief aids in the qualitative
interpretation of the geological processes that have acted through
time. However, an underlying, recurrent and still open question is whether
there is a one-to-one relationship between the quantitative properties of
landscapes and the dominant geomorphological processes that originate them. We
show that the geometry of isolines (curves at fixed elevation) is an
appropriate observable to disantagle such a relationship. A global fractal
analysis of terrestrial isolines yields a clear identification of trenches and
abyssal plains, differentiates oceanic ridges from continental slopes and
platforms, localizes coastlines and river systems, and isolates areas at high
elevation (or latitude) subjected to the erosive action of ice. Further
comparison with geometrical properties of the lunar landscape supports the
existence of a one-to-one correspondence between principal geomorphic
processes and landforms.
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