Hacking the topographic ruggedness index

The topographic ruggedness index (TRI) is widely adopted for the analysis of digital elevation models, providing information on local surface spatial variability. In this work, TRI interpreted according to a geostatistical perspective, highlighting its main characteristics and drawbacks. can be as an omnidirectional short-range variability index, computed pixel centered perspective. simplicity interpretability free from user-dependent selections, promoted implementation in several software environments application wide set case studies. However, has drawbacks earth sciences, such strong dependency slope (it basically average adjacent neighbor algorithm) selection different lag distances computation along directions diagonal ones. We propose new metric radial roughness (RRI) order solve but maintaining philosophy (i.e., perspective algorithm). corrects differences resolves trend using increments 2. code implemented R statistical language, test data are provided with paper (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7132160) promote other environments.