SLOPE ANALYSIS
Abstract
The term slope denotes some small portion of the Ian surface which is inclined from the horizontal one. It may be scientifically explained as the ration between the vertical rise and the equivalent horizontal distance on the surface of the earth. Slope is considered one of the most important morphological attributes which helps in studying the surface configuration of the terrain. The flow of running water, the amount of surface run-off, intensity of soil erosion, transportation and deposition are governed by the degree of slope. Therefore, it is regarded as the base of geomorphological map (Brown and Crofts, 1973). Since it controls surface materials and weathering processes, it exerts strong influence on the land use. In the hilly terrain the pattern of crop land use and distributional pattern of settlements are governed mostly by the nature of slope. The soil survey of Great Britain considers slope as one of the five basic parameters influencing land use capability classes (Bibby and Mackney, 1968) and the Forestry Commission treats slope as one of the three parameters in terrain evaluation (Rowan, 1977). So the determination of slope and its reproduction requires careful attention and scrutiny. Although from the very beginning of geomorphological studies, analysis of slope and its categorization have received due attention yet the scientific and systematic quantitative studies could start only in the first quarter of 20th century. Significant contributions on this aspect have been made by Rich (1916), Wentworth (1930), Raisz and Henry (1937), Smith (1938), Wood (1942), Robinson (1948), King (1949), Calef (1950), Strahler (1956), Monkhouse and Wilkinson (1964), Young (1972), Gerrard (1987) etc.