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Digital Elevation Model available on CREODIAS
A Digital Elevation Model (DEM) is a specialized database that represents the relief of a surface between points of known elevation. By interpolating known elevation data from sources such as ground surveys and photogrammetric data capture, a rectangular digital elevation model grid can be created. A DEM can be represented as a raster (a grid of squares, also known as a heightmap when representing elevation) or as a vector-based triangular irregular network (TIN).
DEM can be used in numerous cases, such as:
- Rendering of 3D visualizations
- Creating relief maps
- Extracting terrain parameters for geomorphology
- Modeling water flow for hydrology or mass movement
- Modeling soils wetness
- 3D flight planning
- Creating physical models
- Rectification of aerial photography or satellite imagery
- Terrain correction of gravity measurements
- Terrain analysis in geomorphology and physical geography
- Geographic information systems
- Engineering and infrastructure design
- Satellite navigation
- Precision farming and forestry
- Intelligent transportation systems
- Archaeology
DEM data are represented by two collections:
- The SRTM 1 arc-second data. This data set is available between 60° N and 56° S, the average ground resolution is 30x30m. More information can be found here: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/eros/science/usgs-eros-archive-digital-elevation-shuttle-radar-topography-mission-srtm-1-arc?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects
- The Mapzen data. The data that we have is available to zoom level 12, which corresponds with ground resolution of ~30m, similar to the SRTM data. The DEM data is a combination of a lot of different sources, also SRTM. More information is here: https://mapzen.com/documentation/terrain-tiles/data-sources/
The possibilities that DEM provides are of great offer to all that use EO data, and as of December 2018, this data is available on our CREODIAS platform.
1/18/19