Simulation on slope uncertainty derived from DEMs at different resolution levels: a case study in the Loess Plateau

Slope is one of the crucial terrain variables in spatial analysis and land use planning, especially in the Loess Plateau area of China which is suffering from serious soil erosion. DEM based slope extracting method has been widely accepted and applied in practice. However slope accuracy derived from this method usually does not match with its popularity. A quantitative simulation to slope data uncertainty is important not only theoretically but also necessarily to applications. This paper focuses on how resolution and terrain complexity impact on the accuracy of mean slope extracted from DEMs of different resolutions in the Loess Plateau of China. Six typical geomorphologic areas are selected as test areas, representing different terrain types from smooth to rough. Their DEMs are produced from digitizing contours of 1:10,000 scale topographic maps. Field survey results show that 5 m should be the most suitable grid size for representing slope in the Loess Plateau area. Comparative and math-simulation methodology was employed for data processing and analysis. A linear correlativity between mean slope and DEM resolution was found at all test areas, but their regression coefficients related closely with the terrain complexity of the test areas. If taking stream channel density to represent terrain complexity, mean slope error could be regressed against DEM resolution (X) and stream channel density (S) at 8 resolution levels and expressed as (0.0015S2+0.031S-0.0325)X-0.0045S2-0.155S+0.1625, with a R2 value of over 0.98. Practical tests also show an effective result of this model in applications. The new development methodology applied in this study should be helpful to similar researches in spatial data uncertainty investigation.     

Simulation on slope uncertainty derived from DEMs at different resolution levels： a case study in the Loess Plateau

Slope is one of the crucial terrain variables in spatial analysis and land use planning, especially in the Loess Plateau area of China which is suffering from serious soil erosion. DEM based slope extracting method has been widely accepted and applied in practice. However slope accuracy derived from this method usually does not match with its popularity. A quantitative simulation to slope data uncertainty is important not only theoretically but also necessarily to applications. This paper focuses on how resolution and terrain complexity impact on the accuracy of mean slope extracted from DEMs of different resolutions in the Loess Plateau of China. Six typical geomorphologic areas are selected as test areas, representing different terrain types from smooth to rough. Their DEMs are produced from digitizing contours of 1:10,000 scale topographic maps. Field survey results show that 5 m should be the most suitable grid size for representing slope in the Loess Plateau area. Comparative and math-simulation methodology was employed for data processing and analysis. A linear correlativity between mean slope and DEM resolution was found at all test areas, but their regression coefficients related closely with the terrain complexity of the test areas. If taking stream channel density to represent terrain complexity, mean slope error could be regressed against DEM resolution (X) and stream channel density (S) at 8 resolution levels and expressed as(0.0015S2 0.031S-0.0325)X-0.0045S2-0.155S 0.1625, with a R2 value of over 0.98. Practical tests also show an effective result of this model in applications. The new development methodology applied in this study should be helpful to similar researches in spatial data uncertainty investigation.     

The impact of resolution on the accuracy of hydrologic data derived from DEMs

1 Introduction Automated extraction of drainage features from DEMs is an effective alternative to the tedious manual mapping from topographic maps. The derived hydrologic characteristics include stream-channel networks, delineation of catchment boundaries, catchment area, catchment length, stream-channel long profiles and stream order etc. Other important characteristics of river catchments, such as the stream-channel density, stream-channel bifurcation ratios, stream-channel order, number…     

Evaluation on the accuracy of digital elevation models

There is a growing interest in investigating the accuracy of digital elevation model (DEM). However people usually have an unbalanced view on DEM errors. They emphasize DEM sampling errors, but ignore the impact of DEM resolution and terrain roughness on the accuracy of terrain representation. This research puts forward the concept of DEM terrain representation error (Et) and then investigates the generation, factors, measurement and simulation of DEM terrain representation errors. A multi-resolution and multi-relief comparative approach is used as the major methodology in this research. The experiment reveals a quantitative relationship between the error and the variation of resolution and terrain roughness at a global level. Root mean square error (RMS Et) is regressed against surface profile curvature (V) and DEM resolution (R) at 10 resolution levels. It is found that the RMS Et may be expressed as RMS Et = (0.0061 × V+ 0.0052) × R - 0.022 × V + 0.2415. This result may be very useful in forecasting DEM accuracy, as well as in determining the DEM resolution related to the accuracy requirement of particular application.     

DEM提取黄土高原地面坡度的不确定性

选择陕北黄土高原6个典型地貌类型区为试验样区,采用野外实测及高精度的1:1万比例尺DEM为基准数据,研究栅格分辨率及地形粗糙度对DEM所提取地面平均坡度精度的影响。结果显示,对于1:1万比例尺DEM,5 m是保证该地区地形描述精度的理想分辨率尺度;多要素逐步回归模拟的方法进一步揭示了DEM所提取的地面平均坡度误差E与栅格分辨率X以及地形起伏的代表性因子-沟壑密度S之间存在的量化关系为E = (0.0015S2+0.031S-0.0325)X-0.0045S2-0.155S+0.1625,该结果也为确定适用的DEM分辨率提供了理论依据。     

不同分辨率DEM提取地面坡度的不确定性模拟:以在黄土高原的试验为例

Slope is one of the crucial terrain variables in spatial analysis and land use planning,especially in the Loess Plateau area of China which is suffering from serious soil erosion. DEM based slope extracting method has been widely accepted and applied in practice. However slope accuracy derived from this method usually does not match with its popularity. A quantitative simulation to slope data uncertainty is important not only theoretically but also necessarily to applications. This paper focuses on how resolution and terrain complexity impact on the accuracy of mean slope extracted from DEMs of different resolutions in the Loess Plateau of China. Six typical geomorphologic areas are selected as test areas, representing different terrain types from smooth to rough. Their DEMs are produced from digitizing contours of 1:10,000 scale topographic maps. Field survey results show that 5 m should be the most suitable grid size for representing slope in the Loess Plateau area. Comparative and math-simulation methodology was employed for data processing and analysis. A linear correlativity between mean slope and DEM resolution was found at all test areas,but their regression coefficients related closely with the terrain complexity of the test areas. If taking stream channel density to represent terrain complexity, mean slope error could be regressed against DEM resolution (X) and stream channel density (S) at 8 resolution levels and expressed as (0.0015S2+0.031S-0.0325)X-0.0045S2-0.155S+0.1625, with a R2 value of over 0.98. Practical tests also show an effective result of this model in applications. The new development methodology applied in this study should be helpful to similar researches in spatial data uncertainty investigation.     

Evaluation on the accuracy of digital elevation models

1 IntroductionDigital elevation model (DEM) is digital representation of relief. It is one of the most important components in the database of GIS. At present, DEM is playing a key role in the field of survey and mapping, remote sensing and almost all the terrain related geographical analyses. DEM can be grouped into regular grids (raster) and triangulated irregular networks (TIN). Both have their advantages and disadvantages in application. It is generally believed that grid DEM will …     

A study on DEM-derived primary topographic attributes for hydrologic applications: Sensitivity to elevation data resolution

Primary topographic attributes play a critical role in determining watershed hydrologic characteristics for water resources modeling with raster-based digital elevation models (DEM). The effects of DEM resolution on a set of important topographic derivatives are examined in this study, including slope, upslope contributing area, flow length and watershed area. The focus of the study is on how sensitive each of the attributes is to the resolution uncertainty by considering the effects of overall terrain gradient and bias from resampling. Two case study watersheds of different gradient patterns are used with their 10 m USGS DEMs. A series of DEMs up to 200 m grid size are produced from the base DEMs using three commonly used resampling methods. All the terrain variables tested vary with the grid size change. It is found that slope angles decrease and contributing area values increase constantly as DEMs are aggregated progressively to coarser resolutions. No systematic trend is observed for corresponding changes of flow path and watershed area. The analysis also suggests that gradient profile of the watershed presents an important factor for the examined sensitivities to DEM resolution.     

地形信息对确定DEM适宜分辨率的影响

分辨率会直接影响基于栅格数字高程模型（DEM）的数字地形分析结果,因此在实际应用中,需要选择适宜的DEM分辨率。目前采取的基本方法,基于某种地形信息定量刻画尺度效应曲线,从而确定DEM适宜分辨率,但对于采用不同地形信息时所产生的影响尚缺乏研究。本文针对该方法中通常采用的坡度、剖面曲率、水平曲率等3 种地形信息,每种地形信息提取时,分别使用两种不同的常用算法,在3 个不同地形特征的研究区中,逐一计算其在不同分辨率下的局部方差均值,以刻画尺度效应曲线,确定相应的DEM适宜分辨率,并进行对比分析。结果表明：① 采用剖面曲率或水平曲率所得适宜分辨率结果基本相同,但采用坡度所得出的适宜分辨率结果则有明显差别,后者所得的适宜分辨率更粗;② 采用不同地形信息时,越是在平缓地形为主的研究区,所得的适宜分辨率结果越相近,在复合地形特征的研究区所得到的适宜分辨率区间均明显较宽;③ 地形属性计算时所用的算法对适宜分辨率结果的影响不明显。     

The impact of resolution on the accuracy of hydrologic data derived from DEMs

Hydrologic data derived from digital elevation models (DEM) has been regarded as an effective method in the spatial analysis of geographical information systems (GIS). However, both DEM resolution and terrain complexity has impacts on the accuracy of hydrologic derivatives. In this study, a multi-resolution and multi-relief comparative approach was used as a major methodology to investigate the accuracy of hydrologic data derived from DEMs. The experiment reveals that DEM terrain representation error affects the accuracy of DEM hydrological derivatives (drainage networks and watershed etc.). Coarser DEM resolutions can usually cause worse results. However, uncertain result commonly exists in this calculation. The derivative errors can be found closely related with DEM vertical resolution and terrain roughness. DEM vertical resolution can be found closely related with the accuracy of DEM hydrological derivatives, especially in the smooth plain area. If the mean slope is less than 4 degrees, the derived hydrologic data are usually unreliable. This result may be helpful in estimating the accuracy of the hydrologic derivatives and determining the DEM resolution that is appropriate to the accuracy requirement of a particular user. By applying a threshold value to subset the cells of a higher accumulation flow, a stream network of a specific network density can be extracted. Some very important geomorphologic characteristics, e.g., shallow and deep gullies, can be separately extracted by means of adjusting the threshold value. However, such a flow accumulationbased processing method can not correctly derive those streams that pass through the working area because it is hard to accumulate enough flow direction values to express the stream channels at the stream's entrance area. Consequently, errors will definitely occur at the stream’s entrance area. In addition, erroneous derivatives can also be found in deriving some particular rivers, e.g., perched (hanging up) rivers, anastomosing rivers and braided rivers. Therefore, more work should be done to develop and perfect the algorithms.     

地形湿度指数算法误差的定量评价

地形湿度指数(TWI)能够定量指示地形对土壤湿度空间分布的控制,是一种应用广泛的地形属性.目前基于栅格DEM的TWI计算方法结果各异,因此有必要对'TWI算法进行定量评价.对TWI算法通常是应用实际DEM数据进行评价.但实际DEM中存在的数据源误差会干扰对算法误差的评价.针对该问题,本文介绍了一种用不含数据源误差的人造...     

Impact of sampling intervals on the reliability of topographic variables mapped from grid DEMs at a micro-scale

This paper explores the quantitative relation between the reliability of slope aspect, gradient, and form mapped from a gridded DEM and the sampling interval (SI) of elevations. Grid DEMs initially interpolated from digitised contours at 10 m were sampled to five other resolution levels. The topographic variables mapped at these SIs were compared with those at 10 m. It is found that the reliability of mapped slope aspect and form is not significantly affected by SI. By comparison, the reliability of slope gradient is more susceptible to SI, especially if it is derived from a gently rolling terrain. Around 90% of the variation in the mapped slope aspect and gradient are accounted for by the inaccuracy of DEMs. A lower percentage exists for slope form. The stability of the mapped topographic variables can be reliably predicted from SI and terrain complexity.     

栅格数字地形分析中的尺度问题研究方法简

栅格数字高程模型（DEM）固有的尺度特征给以栅格DEM为基本输入的数字地形分析带来各种尺度问题。对栅格数字地形分析中涉及的尺度进行梳理,以分辨率和分析窗口为重点,对栅格数字地形分析中的多尺度表达、尺度效应、适宜尺度选择、尺度转换等尺度问题及其相互关系进行阐述;分别介绍各类尺度问题的现有定量研究方法,尤其对尺度效应定量刻画和适宜尺度选择方法,根据不同方法计算定量指标所利用的信息类别进行分类归纳;最后讨论了其中有待进一步开展研究的几方面工作。     

栅格数字地形分析中的尺度问题研究方法

栅格数字高程模型（DEM）固有的尺度特征给以栅格DEM为基本输入的数字地形分析带来各种尺度问题。对栅格数字地形分析中涉及的尺度进行梳理,以分辨率和分析窗口为重点,对栅格数字地形分析中的多尺度表达、尺度效应、适宜尺度选择、尺度转换等尺度问题及其相互关系进行阐述;分别介绍各类尺度问题的现有定量研究方法,尤其对尺度效应定量刻画和适宜尺度选择方法,根据不同方法计算定量指标所利用的信息类别进行分类归纳;最后讨论了其中有待进一步开展研究的几方面工作。     

Historic reconstruction of reservoir topography using contour line interpolation and structure from motion photogrammetry

The geometry of impounded surfaces is a key tool to reservoir storage management and projection. Yet topographic data and bathymetric surveys of average-aged reservoirs may be absent for many regions worldwide. This paper examines the potential of contour line interpolation (TOPO) and Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry to reconstruct the topography of existing reservoirs prior to dam closure. The study centres on the Paso de las Piedras reservoir, Argentina, and assesses the accuracy and reliability of TOPO- and SfM- derived digital elevation models (DEMs) using different grid resolutions. All DEMs were of acceptable quality. However, different interpolation techniques produced different types of error, which increased (or decreased) with increasing (or decreasing) grid resolution as a function of their nature, and relative to the terrain complexity. In terms of DEM reliability to reproduce area–elevation relationships, processing-related disagreements between DEMs were markedly influenced by topography. Even though they produce intrinsic errors, it is concluded that both TOPO and SfM techniques hold great potential to reconstruct the bathymetry of existing reservoirs. For areas exhibiting similar terrain complexity, the implementation of one or another technique will depend ultimately on the need for preserving accurate elevation (TOPO) or topographic detail (SfM).     

Pre-processing algorithms and landslide modelling on remotely sensed DEMs

Terrain analysis applications using remotely sensed Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), nowadays easily available, permit to quantify several river basin morphologic and hydrologic properties (e.g. slope, aspect, curvature, flow path lengths) and indirect hydrogeomorphic indices (e.g. specific upslope area, topographic wetness index) able to characterize the physical processes governing the landscape evolution (e.g. surface saturation, runoff, erosion, deposition). Such DEMs often contain artifacts and the automated hydrogeomorphic characterization of the watershed is influenced by terrain analysis procedures consisting in artificial depression (pit) and flat area treatment approaches combined with flow direction methods.In shallow landslide deterministic models, when applied using topographic dataset at medium scale (e.g. 30 m of resolution), the choice of the most suitable DEM-processing procedure is not trivial and can influence model results. This also affects the selection of most critical areas for further finer resolution studies or for the implementation of countermeasures aiming to landslide risk mitigation.In this paper such issue is investigated using as topographic input the ASTER DEMs and comparing two different combinations of DEM correction and flow routing schemes. The study areas comprise ten catchments in Italy for which hydrogeomorphic processes are significant. Aims of this paper are: 1) to introduce a parameter estimation procedure for the physically-based DEM correction method PEM4PIT (Physical Erosion Model for PIT removal); 2) to investigate the influence of different terrain analysis procedures on results of the slope stability model SHALSTAB (SHAllow Landsliding STABility) using remotely-sensed ASTER DEMs; 3) trying to assess which of terrain analysis methods is more appropriate for describing terrain instability.     

基于光学立体和InSAR的Grove山地区DEM建立和分析

本文分别利用光学立体和In SAR技术生成了东南极Grove山地区15 m分辨率的ASTER DEM和20 m分辨率的In SAR DEM。在利用ASTER立体像对生成DEM的过程中引入ICESat测高数据作为高程控制以减少错误匹配,提高DEM垂直精度;而在利用ERS tandem数据生成DEM后,选取ICESat测高数据对In SAR DEM进行倾斜面纠正,以消除基线不精确估计等带来的影响。通过与未作控制的ICESat测高数据进行比较,评价了两种DEM的精度并对误差进行了分析。同时,比较了两种DEM的差异,并分析了造成这些差异的原因,探讨了两种技术生成南极冰盖DEM的优势和不足。最后结合两DEM的优势,融合生成了Grove山地区高精度的DEM。     

联合ERS-1和ICESAT卫星测高数据构建南极冰盖DEM

南极冰盖DEM在南极研究中具有十分重要的作用,而构建南极冰盖DEM的主要数据源来自于卫星测高。在已有的测高卫星数据中,ERS-1/GM和ICESAT在空间分辨率和精度方面存在互补的关系,综合利用这两类数据,是获得南极冰盖高分辨率高精度DEM的前提。本文采用了数据联合的方法,利用ERS-1和ICESAT测高数据来构建南极冰盖DEM。采用ICESAT离散数据和RAMP/DEM v2对综合DEM进行精度评估,结果表明综合DEM高程精度在4 m左右。     

The impact of DEM data source on prediction of flooding and erosion risk due to sea-level rise

Digital elevation model (DEM) elevation accuracy and spatial resolution are typically considered before a given DEM is used for the assessment of coastal flooding, sea-level rise or erosion risk. However, limitations of DEMs arising from their original data source can often be overlooked during DEM selection. Global elevation error statistics provided by DEM data suppliers can provide a useful indicator of actual DEM error, but these statistics can understate elevation errors occurring outside of idealised ground reference areas. The characteristic limitations of a range of DEM sources that may be used for the assessment of coastal inundation and erosion risk are tested using high-resolution photogrammetric, low- and medium-resolution global positioning system (GPS)-derived and very high-resolution terrestrial laser scanning point data sets. Errors detected in a high-resolution photogrammetric DEM are found to be substantially beyond quoted error, demonstrating the degree to which quoted DEM accuracy can understate local DEM error and highlighting the extent to which spatial resolution can fail to provide a reliable indicator of DEM accuracy. Superior accuracies and inundation prediction results are achieved based on much lower-resolution GPS points confirming conclusions drawn in the case of the photogrammetric DEM data. This suggests a scope for the use of GPS-derived DEMs in preference to the photogrammetric DEM data in large-scale risk-mapping studies. DEM accuracies and superior representation of micro-topography achieved using high-resolution terrestrial laser scan data confirm its advantages for the prediction of subtle inundation and erosion risk. However, the requirement for data fusion of GPS to remove ground-vegetation error highlighted limitations for the use of side-scan laser scan data in densely vegetated areas.     

DEM 点位地形信息量化模型研究

针对DEM 点位, 首先应用微分几何法对其所负载的语法信息量进行测度, 其次根据地形特征点类型及地形结构特征确定其语义信息量, 然后基于信息学理论构建了DEM 点位地形信息综合量化模型。在此基础上, 以黄土丘陵沟壑区作为实验样区, 对DEM 点位地形信息量提取方法及其在地形简化中的初步实例应用进行了探讨和验证。实验结果显示, 所提出的DEM 点位地形信息量化方案可行;基于DEM 地形信息量指数的多尺度DEM 构建方案, 具有机理明确、易于实现的特点, 并通过优先保留地形骨架特征点, 可以有效减少地形失真, 从而满足不同层次的多尺度数字地形建模和表达要求。对DEM 点位地形信息进行有效量化, 为认识DEM 地形信息特征提供了一个新的切入点, 同时为多尺度数字地形建模提供理论依据与方法支持。