Digital Elevation Models derived by ALS data: Sorrentina Peninsula test areas

Abstract

The digital representation of the Earth surface is essential in any disciplines of the Geosciences. An accurate mapping of the Earth's surface at different scales is considered a prerequisite for modeling natural phenomena as water flow, mass movement, structural and tectonic deformations. For instance, in the geomorphological context, the availability of accurate digital topography improves the knowledge of structural elements and tectonic alignments [e.g. Azzaro et al., 2012], allows to better define the source areas of landslides [e.g. Bisson et al., 2013] and to reconstruct a detailed drainage network [e.g. Ozdemir and Bird 2009]. In the volcanological context, the topography becomes fundamental in order to map the invasion areas of lava flows [e.g. Felpeto et al., 2001; Tarquini and Favalli 2010], pyroclastic flows [e.g. Esposti Ongaro et al., 2008] and volcanoclastic debris flows and lahar [e.g. Muñoz-Salinas et al., 2009]. Also, in the hydrogeological studies, an accurate...