Adaptive hierarchical triangulation

Numerous cartographic applications rely on triangulated surface models for accurate three-dimensional representations of real-world data. Some applications require a series of triangulations to represent a single surface at progressively finer levels of detail. Past work has emphasized techniques relying on plane geometry using little or no surface data. The authors propose a technique that adapts the triangulation to surface characteristics. Because the adaptive hierarchical triangulation focuses on the topology of a surface, it reduces the number of triangles required for a good approximation. The tree-like structure of the hierarchy is well-adapted to multiple resolution views, allowing smooth transitions between levels of detail in flight simulators. -from Authors