Definition of topographic swath profile

A topographic swath profile is a measurement of topography/elevation within an area. It is used to illustrate the changes in topography or its derivations such as slope and local relief. Also, other data that could be related to topography have been studied using these profiles.
The shape of the swath profile, which could be rectangular, circular, or curvilinear, varies based on the shape of the geomorphic feature interested. Rectangular is the classic and most common form of swath profiles. The circular swath profile is useful in the study of volcanic doms or other similar geological features with concentric symmetry. Curvilinear profiles are used for the study of longitudinal features such as streams.