A generic classification for the morphological and spatial complexity of volcanic (and other) landforms

Landform studies require that morphological identification, description and classification use an accurate and precise taxonomy. This communication offers taxonomic criteria useful for landform classification, as well as spatial statistical investigations of landform patterns. The spatial statistical modeling of landform patterns poses new challenges concerning the systematic characterization of landforms for study within a GIS (geographical information system). For example, the sundry descriptions and non-diagnostic descriptors for volcanoes are many, and appear to have promoted the adoption of somewhat imprecise and confusing classes. This communication presents a generic three-tiered classification as a basic description of the complexity of the landform regardless of scale, tectonic and petrologic setting, climatic regime, state of degradation, or local definition. Importantly, it offers a taxonomy that is useful to the geographical analysis of point pattern fields using spatial statistical techniques. The scheme offered here was used to characterize mostly monogenetic volcanoes; however the classification scheme may also be usable for other landscape features. For instance, such features may include; landslide scars, thermokarst, dolines, kettle and kame topography, drumlins, dome, crescentic and star dunes, pingos, rootless cones, lava domes and coulees, and impact craters.