顾及地形坡度的SRTM和ASTER加权融合

为了克服现有SRTM和ASTER各自缺陷,提升公共DEM精度,本文提出了一种顾及地形坡度的SRTM和ASTER加权融合方法。首先对两种DEM进行地理配准;然后计算不同坡度等级下SRTM和ASTER的高程误差,并得到DEM融合权重;最后采用加权平均法对SRTM和ASTER进行融合。高精度控制点的检验表明：融合后DEM精度有明显提高,相比于原始SRTM和ASTER高程误差,标准差分别降低了5.65 m和1.20 m。     

Spheroidal equal angular DEMs: The specificity of morphometric treatment

Digital elevation models (DEMs) are commonly constructed using two main types of regular grids: plane square grids and spheroidal equal angular grids. Methods and algorithms intended for plane square‐gridded DEMs should not be directly applied to spheroidal equal angular DEMs. This is because these grids have fundamentally different geometry. However, some researchers continue to apply square‐grid algorithms to spheroidal equal angular DEMs. It seems appropriate to consider once again the specifity of morphometric treatment of spheroidal equal angular DEMs. This article, first, demonstrates possibilities of direct calculation of local, nonlocal, and combined morphometric variables from spheroidal equal angular DEMs exemplified by slope gradient, catchment area, and topographic index. Second, the article shows computational errors when algorithms for plane square‐gridded DEMs are unreasonably applied to spheroidal equal angular DEMs. The study is exemplified by two DEMs. A medium‐resolution DEM of a relatively small, high‐mountainous area (Mount Elbrus) was extracted from the SRTM1 DEM. A low‐resolution DEM of a vast region with the diverse topography (the central and western regions of Kenya) was extracted from the SRTM30_PLUS DEM. The results show that application of square‐grid methods to spheroidal equal angular DEMs leads to substantial computational errors in models of morphometric variables.     

Effect of Contour Intervals and Grid Cell Size on the Accuracy of DEMs and Slope Derivatives

Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) are indispensable tools in many environmental and natural resource applications. DEMs are frequently derived from contour lines. The accuracy of such DEMs depends on different factors. This research investigates the effect of sampling density used to derive contours, vertical interval between contours (spacing), grid cell size of the DEM (resolution), terrain complexity, and spatial filtering on the accuracy of the DEM and the slope derivative. The study indicated different alternatives to achieve an acceptable accuracy depending on the contour interval, the DEM resolution and the complexity of the terrain. The effect of these factors on the accuracy of the DEM and the slope derivative was quantified using models that determine the level of accuracy (RMSE). The implementation of the models will guide users to select the best combination to improve the results in areas with similar topography. For areas with variable terrain complexity, the suggestion is to generate DEMs and slope at a suitable resolution for each terrain separately and then to merge the results to produce one final layer for the whole area. This will provide accurate estimates of elevation and slope, and subsequently improve the analyses that rely on these digital derivatives.     

A total error-based multiquadric method for surface modeling of digital elevation models

Digital elevation model (DEM) source data are subject to both horizontal and vertical errors owing to improper instrument operation, physical limitations of sensors, and bad weather conditions. These factors may bring a negative effect on some DEM-based applications requiring low levels of positional errors. Although classical smoothing interpolation methods have the ability to handle vertical errors, they are prone to omit horizontal errors. Based on the statistical concept of the total least squares method, a total error-based multiquadric (MQ-T) method is proposed in this paper to reduce the effects of both horizontal and vertical errors in the context of DEM construction. In nature, the classical multiquadric (MQ) method is a vertical error regression procedure, whereas MQ-T is an orthogonal error regression model. Two examples, including a numerical test and a real-world example, are employed in a comparative performance analysis of MQ-T for surface modeling of DEMs. The numerical test indicates that MQ-T performs better than the classical MQ in terms of root mean square error. The real-world example of DEM construction with sample points derived from a total station instrument demonstrates that regardless of the sample interval and DEM resolution, MQ-T is more accurate than classical interpolation methods including inverse distance weighting, ordinary kriging, and Australian National University DEM. Therefore, MQ-T can be considered as an alternative interpolator for surface modeling with sample points subject to both horizontal and vertical errors.     

基于Coons曲面的规则格网DEM表面模型

内插是数字高程模型的核心问题。目前的内插模型主要是由离散的格网数据构建的连续曲面,直接以点推面,可能存在较大的地形误差。本文建立的Coons曲面DEM表面模型,首先利用离散的格网数据构造与格网边界相对应的地形剖面曲线的拟合曲线,再基于拟合曲线构建DEM表面模型。实验表明：Coons曲面DEM表面模型是一种高精度的DEM表面模型,其地形模拟误差比直接基于格网数据建立的双线性内插、样条函数内插和移动曲面拟合法的误差都小,实际地形模拟误差与双线性模型相比减少15％-28％,且精度随着构建边界拟合曲线所用格网点的增多而逐渐提高。     

基于栅格DEM的地形特征提取与分析

以陕北延安地区燕儿沟流域为实验样区,运用比较分析法和数理统计法进行基于栅格DEM的地形特征提取和分析,以及DEM分辨率对地形特征的影响,并计算和比较了地形特征的空间统计分布。研究表明:一个相对真实的DEM能够通过修改生成DEM的基本材料,以及对DEM进行再加工而获得。由于DEM分辨率的不同,由此得到的地形特征值(如坡度、地形指数、河网密度等)在统计特性上也会随之变化。随着DEM分辨率的降低,坡度减小,地形坦化,地形指数均值变大,流域总面积变大,子流域数量减少,河流总长度减小,河网密度降低。     

Accuracy analysis, dem generation and validation using russian tk-350 stereo-images

TK-350 stereo-scenes of the Zonguldak testfield in the north-west of Turkey have been analysed. The imagery had a base-to-height ratio of 0·52 and covered an area of 200 km × 300 km, with each pixel representing 10 m on the ground. Control points digitised from 1:25 000 scale topographic maps were used in the test. A bundle orientation was executed using the University of Hanover program BLUH and PCI Geomatica OrthoEngine AE software packages. Tests revealed that TK-350 stereo-images can yield 3D geopositioning to an accuracy of about 10 m in planimetry and 17 m in height. A 40 m resolution digital elevation model (DEM) was generated by the PCI system and compared against a reference DEM, which was derived from digitised contour lines provided by 1:25 000 scale topographic maps. This comparison showed that accuracy depends mainly on the surface structure and the slope of the local terrain. Root mean square errors in height were found to be about 27 and 39 m outside and inside forested areas, respectively. The matched DEM demonstrated a systematic shift against the reference DEM visible as an asymmetric shift in the frequency distribution. This is perhaps caused by the presence of vegetation and buildings.     

Effect of sensor modelling methods on computation of 3-D coordinates from Cartosat-1 stereo data

The orbital and the rational polynomial coefficients (RPC) models are the two most commonly used models to compute a three-dimensional coordinates from an image stereo-pair. But it is still confusing that with the identical user provided inputs, which one of these two models provides more accurate digital elevation model (DEM), especially for mountainous terrain. This study aimed to find out the answer by evaluating the impact of used models on the vertical accuracy of DEM extracted from Cartosat-1 stereo data. We used high-accuracy photogrammetric DEM as the reference DEM. Apart from general variations in statistics, surprisingly in a few instances, both the DEMs provided contrasting results, thus proving the significance of this study. The computed root mean square errors and linear error at 90% (LE90) were lower in case of RPC DEM for various classes of slope, aspect and land cover, thus suggesting its better relative accuracy.     

A Comparison Between Contour Elevation Data Sources for DEM Creation and Soil Carbon Prediction, Coshocton, Ohio

A raster and vector GIS was created for the North Appalachian Experimental Watershed (NAEW) from legacy (1960) 1:2,400‐scale contour maps. The intent of the study was to use terrain data for the spatial modeling of soil organic carbon. It was hypothesized that DEMs derived from these data would be more accurate and therefore more useful for terrain‐based soil modeling than those from USGS 1:24,000‐scale contour data. Central tasks for this study were to digitally capture the 1:2,400‐scale maps, convert digital contour data sources to raster DEMs at multiple resolutions, and derive terrain attributes. A flexible approach was adopted, using software outside of mainstream GIS sources where scientifically or practically advantageous. Elevation contours and streamlines were converted to raster DEMs using ANUDEM. DEMs ranging in resolution from 0.5–30 m were tested for accuracy against precision carrier‐phase GPS data. The residual standard deviation was 1.68 meters for the USGS DEM and 0.36 meters for the NAEW DEM. The optimal horizontal resolution for the NAEW DEM was 5 m and for the USGS 10 m. Five and 10 m resolution DEMs from both data sources were tested for carbon prediction. Multiple terrain parameters were derived as proxies for surficial processes. Soil samples (n = 184) were collected on four zero‐order watersheds (conventional tillage, no‐till, hay and pasture). Multiple least squares regressions (m.l.s.) were used to predict mass C (kg m^?2, 30 cm depth) from topographic information. Model residuals were not spatially autocorrelated. Statistically significant topographic parameters were attained most consistently from the 5 m NAEW DEM. However, topography was not a strong predictor of carbon for these watersheds, with r² ranging from 0.23 to 0.58.     

坡度随水平分辨率变化及其空间格局研究

以黄土丘陵沟壑区的县南沟流域为研究区,基于1∶1万地形图,利用ANUDEM软件生成5m到200m分辨率DEM,并利用Arc/Info中计算坡度的方法提取了各种分辨率的坡度。研究表明,随着DEM分辨率的降低,单个样点坡度值表现出不确定性,但同一坡度级所有栅格点的坡度均值呈现一定的规律性,低坡度段表现为先升高后降低,中坡度段呈现微弱变化,陡坡度段呈现对数降低趋势;沟沿线上坡度值呈比较剧烈的下降趋势、分水线和流水线上坡度缓慢下降。     

基于星载激光雷达和雷达高度计数据的南极冰盖表面高程制图

南极数字高程模型DEMs(Digital Elevation Models)是研究极区大气环流模式,南极冰盖动态变化和南极科学考察非常重要的基础数据。目前,科学家已经发布了五种不同的南极数字表面高程模型。这些数据都是由卫星雷达高度计,激光雷达和部分地面实测数据等制作而成。尽管如此,由于海洋与冰盖交接的南极冰盖边缘区随时间的快速变化,有必要根据新的卫星数据及时更新南极冰盖表面高程数据。因此,我们利用雷达高度计数据(Envisat RA-2)和激光雷达数据(ICESat/GLAS)制作了最新的南极冰盖高程数据。为提高ICESat/GLAS数据的精度,本文采用了五种不同的质量控制指标对GLAS数据进行处理,滤除了8.36%的不合格数据。这五种质量控制指标分别针对卫星定位误差、大气前向散射、饱和度及云的影响。同时,对Envisat RA-2数据进行干湿对流层纠正、电离层纠正、固体潮汐纠正和极潮纠正。针对两种不同的测高数据,提出了一种基于Envisat RA-2和GLAS数据光斑脚印几何相交的高程相对纠正方法,即通过分析GLAS脚印点与Envisat RA-2数据中心点重叠的点对,建立这些相交点对的高度差(GLAS-RA-2)与表征地形起伏的粗糙度之间的相关关系,对具有稳定相关关系的点对进行Envisat RA-2数据的相对纠正。通过分析南极冰盖不同区域的测高点密度,确定最终DEM的分辨率为1000 m。考虑到南极普里兹湾和内陆地区的差异性,将南极冰盖分为16个区,利用半方差分析确定最佳插值模型和参数,采用克吕金插值方法生成了1000 m分辨率的南极冰盖高程数据。利用两种机载激光雷达数据和我国多次南极科考实测的GPS数据对新的南极DEM进行了验证。结果显示,新的DEM与实测数据的差值范围为3.21—27.84 m,其误差分布与坡度密切关系。与国际上发布的南极DEM数据相比,新的DEM在坡度较大地区和快速变化的冰盖边缘地区精度有较大改进。     

QUALITY CONTROL OF PHOTOGRAMMETRICALLY SAMPLED DIGITAL ELEVATION MODELS

The object of this paper is to study the geometric accuracy of photogrammetrically sampled digital elevation models (DEMs)obtained by using an on line graphical DEM editor. As a reference, DEMs obtained by regular grid measurements have been used. Three different test areas are used in the study, each representing different ground types and degrees of homogeneity. The DEMs have been evaluated with respect to their standard errors in elevation, slope and curvature. The results show that the standard errors are not improved by using the on line DEM editor. It is also demonstrated that an increased point density decreases the standard error in elevation while its effect on the standard error in slope is limited. The standard error in curvature is almost independent of the point density.     

DEM Extraction in Urban Areas Using High-Resolution TerraSAR-X Imagery

Three-dimensional (3D) spatial information is crucial for improving the quality of human life through urban planning and management, and it is widely utilized due to its rapid, periodic and inexpensive acquisition. In this context, extraction of digital surface and elevation models (DSM and DEM) is a significant research topic for space-borne optical and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) remote sensing. The DSMs include visible features on the earth’s surface such as vegetation, forest and elevated man-made objects, while DEMs contain only the bare ground. In this paper, using TerraSAR-X (TSX) high resolution Spotlight (HS) images, high-resolution interferometric DEM generation in a part of Istanbul urban area is aimed. This is not an easy task because of SAR imaging problems in complex geometry of urban settlements. The interferometric processing steps for DSM generation were discussed including critical parameters and thresholds to improve the quality of the final product and a 3 m gridded DSM was generated. The DSM-DEM conversion was performed by filtering and the quality of generated DEM was verified against a reference DEM from stereo photogrammetry with 3 m original grid spacing. The achieved root mean square error of height differences (RMSZ) varies from 7.09 to 8.11 m, depending on the terrain slope. The differential DEM, illustrates the height differences between generated DEM and the reference DEM, was generated to show the correlation between height differences and the coherence map. Finally, a perspective view of test area was created draping extracted DEM and a high-resolution IKONOS panchromatic image.     

Developing a Fine-Resolution Digital Elevation Model to Support Hydrological Modeling and Ecological Studies in the Northern Everglades

Accurate high-resolution terrain data are essential for hydrological modeling in lowlands. This study integrates elevation survey data and vegetation data at the point and 50 m scales to develop a fine-resolution digital elevation model (DEM) for the northern Everglades of Florida. The terrain was divided into two vertical strata (lowland and highland) based on a 50 m scale vegetation map. The DEM in highlands was interpolated with all the survey points and later adjusted using an association between vegetation and hydroperiod (the number of days per year that land is flooded). The DEM in lowlands was interpolated with elevation surveys tagged as lowland types. The two DEMs were then combined, forming a new DEM with a 7.7 cm mean absolute validation error—a significant (2.3 cm) improvement over the previous DEM.     

基于主成分变换模型的DEM格网聚合及其误差分析

利用主成分分析揭示变量之间关系的特性,进而提出一种既能保证较高精度又能较好地保持地形形态特征的DEM格网聚合方法。首先根据主成分变换模型推导DEM格网聚合数学公式,构建主成分聚合模型;然后以30m分辨率DEM转换为90m分辨率DEM为例,根据格网点属性间的权重关系聚合重构DEM。在此基础上,以均值聚合和双线性重采样聚合方法为比较对象,从聚合前后的检查点高程偏差的统计描述、空间分布与自相关性、地形形态保持程度方面分析3种聚合策略下重构DEM的误差特性。最后运用描述统计、半变异分析和等高线套合方法,定量评价主成分聚合重构DEM的质量效果。试验分析结果表明,同均值聚合和重采样聚合相比较,该方法重构的DEM既能保持较高精度,又能很好地保持地形形态特征。     

Evaluation of vertical accuracy of open source Digital Elevation Model (DEM)

Digital Elevation Model (DEM) is a quantitative representation of terrain and is important for Earth science and hydrological applications. DEM can be generated using photogrammetry, interferometry, ground and laser surveying and other techniques. Some of the DEMs such as ASTER, SRTM, and GTOPO 30 are freely available open source products. Each DEM contains intrinsic errors due to primary data acquisition technology and processing methodology in relation with a particular terrain and land cover type. The accuracy of these datasets is often unknown and is non-uniform within each dataset. In this study we evaluate open source DEMs (ASTER and SRTM) and their derived attributes using high postings Cartosat DEM and Survey of India (SOI) height information. It was found that representation of terrain characteristics is affected in the coarse postings DEM. The overall vertical accuracy shows RMS error of 12.62 m and 17.76 m for ASTER and SRTM DEM respectively, when compared with Cartosat DEM. The slope and drainage network delineation are also violated. The terrain morphology strongly influences the DEM accuracy. These results can be highly useful for researchers using such products in various modeling exercises.     

The effect of some upscaling procedures on the slope derived from digital elevation models

Digital elevation models (DEMs) and their derived parameters play an important role in geosciences. When upscaling, the influence of the upscaling procedure on the accuracy of DEMs' derived parameters has not been systematically studied. In this study, slope is taken as an example to explore the effect of upscaling procedure on the accuracy of DEMs' derived parameters. The meaning of upscaling is converting the data from finer resolution to coarser resolution. The two upscaling procedures of EES (elevation to elevation first, then elevation to slope) and ESS (elevation to slope first, then slope to slope) combined with four aggregation rules of maximum, mean, median, and minimum were used to obtain the slope result at the desired resolution in plain, hill, and mountain areas. From the experimental results, it can be concluded that the upscaling procedure significantly affected slope accuracy at the desired resolution. To obtain the slope result with higher accuracy during upscaling, it was recommended that the upscaling procedure of ESS combined with the mean or median aggregation rule was adopted whatever the terrain complexity. This study can be applied for the selection of upscaling procedure and aggregation rule in the upscaling of slope and it warns us to pay more attention to the upscaling procedure when obtaining the DEM‐derived parameters at multi‐resolutions.     

DEM Fusion using a modified k-means clustering algorithm

Digital elevation models (DEMs) are a necessary dataset for modelling the Earth’s surface; however, all DEMs contain error. Researchers can reduce this error using DEM fusion techniques since numerous DEMs can be available for a region. However, the use of a clustering algorithm in DEM fusion has not been previously reported. In this study a new DEM fusion algorithm based on a clustering approach that works on multiple DEMs to exploit consistency in the estimates as indicators of accuracy and precision is presented. The fusion approach includes slope and elevation thresholding, k-means clustering of the elevation estimates at each cell location, as well as filtering and smoothing of the fusion product. Corroboration of the input DEMs, and the products of each step of the fusion algorithm, with a higher accuracy reference DEM enabled a detailed analysis of the effectiveness of the DEM fusion algorithm. The main findings of the research were: the k-means clustering of the elevations reduced the precision which also impacted the overall accuracy of the estimates; the number of final cluster members and the standard deviation of elevations before clustering both had a strong relationship to the error in the k-means estimates.     

Effect of the SRTM global DEM on the determination of a high-resolution geoid model: a case study in Iran

Any errors in digital elevation models (DEMs) will introduce errors directly in gravity anomalies and geoid models when used in interpolating Bouguer gravity anomalies. Errors are also propagated into the geoid model by the topographic and downward continuation (DWC) corrections in the application of Stokes’s formula. The effects of these errors are assessed by the evaluation of the absolute accuracy of nine independent DEMs for the Iran region. It is shown that the improvement in using the high-resolution Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data versus previously available DEMs in gridding of gravity anomalies, terrain corrections and DWC effects for the geoid model are significant. Based on the Iranian GPS/levelling network data, we estimate the absolute vertical accuracy of the SRTM in Iran to be 6.5 m, which is much better than the estimated global accuracy of the SRTM (say 16 m). Hence, this DEM has a comparable accuracy to a current photogrammetric high-resolution DEM of Iran under development. We also found very large differences between the GLOBE and SRTM models on the range of −750 to 550 m. This difference causes an error in the range of −160 to 140 mGal in interpolating surface gravity anomalies and −60 to 60 mGal in simple Bouguer anomaly correction terms. In the view of geoid heights, we found large differences between the use of GLOBE and SRTM DEMs, in the range of −1.1 to 1 m for the study area. The terrain correction of the geoid model at selected GPS/levelling points only differs by 3 cm for these two DEMs.