Orography
Orography is the study and description of mountains and other landforms, including their elevation, arrangement, and representation on maps.
Topography: The description of Earth's surface features, including their elevations and spatial relationships. Orography focuses on the mountainous and landform patterns that topographic descriptions record.
Digital elevation model: A digital representation of terrain elevations arranged as a grid or other spatial data structure. Elevation models let orographers measure and visualize terrain across broad areas.
Orographic precipitation: Precipitation produced when moist air rises over elevated terrain, cools, and condenses. Mountain arrangement and height help explain where precipitation increases on windward slopes.
Bathymetry: The measurement and mapping of underwater depths and seafloor relief. It describes submerged terrain, complementing orography's focus on landforms.
Relief (geography): The variation in elevation across a land surface, often measured as the difference between high and low points. Relief captures the height contrasts used to characterize mountainous terrain.
Hypsometry: The measurement and analysis of land elevations and their distribution over an area. Hypsometric methods summarize how elevation varies across a region.
Rain shadow: A dry region on the leeward side of a mountain range, caused by moisture loss from rising air. Orographic patterns explain why mountain barriers create sharp regional contrasts in rainfall.
Geomorphology: The study of landforms, their origins, and the processes that shape them. Geomorphology explains how landforms develop, while orography emphasizes their description and arrangement.
Elevation: The vertical distance of a location above a stated reference level, usually mean sea level. Elevation is the basic measurement used to describe mountain heights.
Topographic map: A map that represents landforms and elevation, commonly using contour lines and elevation symbols. It is a standard way to represent orographic features and their arrangement.