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hillshading

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  1. [visualization techniques] A technique used to enhance the three-dimensional appearance of terrain features that create patterns of light and shadow on the landscape. Illumination is from a simulated light source at a specified azimuth and altitude (typically the map's upper left corner). Hillshading provides a sense of topographic relief of the landscape and a relative measure of incident light for analysis.

    Media/hillshading.gif

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