Self-organized approach to modeling hydraulic erosion features

A simulation of the effects of hydraulic erosion should generate realistic fractal character and exhibit certain high-level behavior, such as tributary capture. Our simulation method is able to achieve these goals in an emergent way by using a variant of avalanching, which is a principle followed by many physical self-organized systems. We also use the same approach to generate initial conditions for the erosion, so that the combined algorithm is a complete terrain modeling method based only on self-organization.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload high-quality image (185 K)Download as PowerPoint slideHighlights► We contribute erosion models to be used for procedural modeling of terrains. ► Our coastline model creates coastlines with varying roughness and mixed behavior. ► Our hydraulic model creates channels that link up, widen, and flood lakes. ► Our simulations combine into a terrain modeling technique. ► We contribute our avalanching modeling paradigm that unifies our simulations.