Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN)
A vector-based data structure used to represent terrain surfaces, composed of non-overlapping triangles that model elevation and landform detail (inferred from standard GIS usage).
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What does Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN) mean?
In GIS, a digital data structure called a Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN) is used to depict the Earth's surface in three dimensions. Connecting irregularly spaced points (referred to as nodes) with known x, y, and z coordinates creates non-overlapping triangles. These triangles vary in size and shape, becoming more dispersed in flat places and denser where the surface varies quickly in response to the intricacy of the terrain.
TINs are frequently used to model terrain surfaces, particularly in fields like hydrology, engineering, and landscape studies, where high precision is required. By modifying triangle placement according to surface detail, TINs effectively capture sharp features like ridges and valleys, in contrast to raster-based elevation models.