Abstract
Geomorphologic maps are one of the most fundamental materials of the natural environment. They have been widely used in scientific research, resource exploration and extraction, education and military affairs etc. An editorial committee was established in 2001 to collect materials for researching and compiling a set of new 1:1,000,000 geomorphologic atlas of China. A digital geomorphologic database was created with visual interpretation from Landsat TM/ETM imageries and SRTM-DEM etc. The atlas compiled from the database was finished. The main characteristics of the atlas are as follows: Firstly, Landsat TM/ETM imageries, published geomorphologic maps or sketches, geographical base maps, digital geological maps, and other thematic maps were collected, which were uniformly geometrically rectified, clipped into uniform sheets, and stored in the foundation database. Secondly, based on the legends of 15 sheets 1:1,000,000 maps published in the 1980s, a geomorphologic classification system was built by combining morphology and genesis types. The system comprised seven hierarchical layers: basic morphology, genesis, sub-genesis, morphology, micro-morphology, slope and aspect, material composition and lithology. These layers were stored in the database during visual image interpretation. About 2000 kinds of morphogenesis and 300 kinds of morpho-structure were interpreted. Thirdly, the legend system was built, which included color, symbol bases and note bases etc., compilation standards and procedures were developed, 74 sheets of 1:1,000,000 covering all land and sea territories of China were compiled, the 1:1,000,000 geomorphologic atlas of the People’s Republic of China was finished and published. The atlas will fill the blanks in national basic scale thematic maps, and the geomorphologic database could be applied widely in many fields in the future.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bishop M P, John F, Jr. Shroder et al., 2003. Remote sensing and geomorphometry for studying relief production in high mountains. Geomorphology, 55: 345–361.
Bocco G, Mendoza M, Velazquez A, 2001. Remote sensing and GIS-based regional geomorphologic mapping: A tool for land use planning in developing countries. Geomorphology, 39: 211–219.
Brian M Steele, 2000. Combining multiple classifiers: An application using spatial and remotely sensed information for land cover type mapping. Remote Sensing of Environment, 74: 545–556.
Bue B D, Stepinski T F, 2006. Automated classification of landforms on Mars. Computers & Geosciences, 32: 604–614.
Chaplot V, Darboux F, Bourennane H, 2006. Accuracy of interpolation techniques for the derivation of digital elevation models in relation to landform types and data density. Geomorphology, 77(1/2): 126–141.
Chen Zhiming, 1993. Discussion on the principles, contents and methods for mapping geomorphologic maps of China. Acta Geographica Sinica, 48(2): 105–112. (in Chinese)
Chen Zhiming, 1994. Geomorphologic Map of China. Beijing: Science Press. (in Chinese)
David R Butler, Stephen J Walsh, 1998. The application of remote sensing and geographic information systems in the study of geomorphology: An introduction. Geomorphology, 21: 179–181.
Demek J et al., 1976. International Geomorphologic Map of Europe 1:2,500,000, Sheet (10). Institute Geography of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences Brno in cooperation with IGU-Commission on Geomorphologic Survey and Mapping and UNESCO.
Editorial Board of Great National Atlas, 1964. The Geomorphologic Map in China (1:10,000,000), from “The Natural Atlas of the People’s Republic of China”. (in Chinese)
Institute of Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1959. Regionalization of Chinese Landforms (first draft). Beijing: Science Press. (in Chinese)
Institute of Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences and others, 1987a. 1:1,000,000 geomorphologic maps of China and explanation (sheets of Beijing, Qiqihar, Hohhot, Xining, Lanzhou, Luda, Xi’an, Nanjing, Chengdu, Wuhan, Shanghai, Dali, Hengyang, Hainan Island). Beijing: Science Press. (in Chinese)
Institute of Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences and others, 1987b. Map Specification for 1:1,000,000 Geomorphologic Maps of China (draft). Beijing: Science Press. (in Chinese)
Irvin B J, Ventura S J, Slater B K, 1997. Fuzzy and isodata classification of landform elements from digital terrain data in Pleasant Valley, Wisconsin. Geoderma, 77: 137–154.
Li Bingyuan, Li Juzhang, 1994. Geomorphologic Map of China (1: 4,000,000). Beijing: Science Press. (in Chinese)
Li Jijun, Zhou Chenghu, Cheng Weiming et al., 2009. Geomorphologic Atlas of the People’s Republic of China. Beijing: Science Press. (in Chinese)
Markov K, 1957. Lu Enze et al., trans. Basic Problems in Geomorphology. Beijing: Geology Press. (in Chinese)
Miliaresis G, 2001. Extraction of bajadas from digital elevation models and satellite imagery. Computers & Geosciences, 27(10): 1157–1167.
Miliaresis G, Argialas D, 2000. Extraction and delineation of alluvial fans from digital elevation models and Landsat Thematic Mapper images. Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, 66(9): 1093–1101.
Miliaresis G Ch, Argialas D P, 1999. Segmentation of physiographic features from the global digital elevation model/GTOPO30. Computers & Geosciences, 25: 715–728.
Miliaresis G Ch, Iliopoulou P, 2004. Clustering of Zagros Ranges from the Global DEM representation. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, 5: 17–28.
Philip T Giles, Steven E Franklin, 1998. An automated approach to the classification of the slope units using digital data. Geomorphology, 21: 251–264.
Smith M J, Clark C D, 2005. Methods for the visualisation of digital elevation models for landform mapping. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 30: 885–900.
Smith M J, Rose J, Booth S, 2006. Geomorphologic mapping of glacial landforms from remotely sensed data: An evaluation of the principal data sources and an assessment of their quality. Geomorphology, 76: 148–165.
Splidunlov A H, 1956. Beijing Geology College trans. Geomorphologic Mapping. Beijing: Geology Press. (in Chinese)
Urbach Erik R, Stepinski Tomasz F, 2009. Automatic detection of sub-km craters in high resolution planetary images. Planetary and Space Science, 57: 880–887.
Yao Yonghui, Zhou Chenghu, Su Fenzhen et al., 2007a. Seafloor geomorphologic mapping of Nansha Islands. Journal of Tropical Oceanography, 26(6): 35–39. (in Chinese)
Yao Yonghui, Zhou Chenghu, Sun Ranhao et al., 2007b. Digital mapping of mountain in landforms based on multiple source data. Journal of Mountain Science, 25(1): 122–128. (in Chinese)
Zhou Chenghu, Cheng Weiming, Qian Jinkai, 2009. Digital Geomorphologic Interpretation and Mapping from Remote Sensing. Beijing: Science Press. (in Chinese)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Foundation: Key Project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.40871177; No.40830529
Author: Cheng Weiming (1973–), Ph.D and Associate Professor, specialized in information extraction and mapping of digital geomorphology.
Corresponding author: Zhou Chenghu, Ph.D and Professor
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cheng, W., Zhou, C., Chai, H. et al. Research and compilation of the geomorphologic atlas of the People’s Republic of China (1:1,000,000). J. Geogr. Sci. 21, 89–100 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-011-0831-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-011-0831-z