ICESat validation of SRTM C‐band digital elevation models
Abstract
The Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) on the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) provides a globally‐distributed data set well suited for evaluating the vertical accuracy of Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) digital elevation models (DEMs). The horizontal error (2.4 ± 7.3 m) and vertical error (0.04 ± 0.13 m per degree of incidence angle) for the ICESat data used are small compared to those for SRTM. Using GLAS echo waveforms we document differences between the SRTM C‐band phase center and the highest, centroid, and lowest elevations within ICESat laser footprints in the western United States. In areas of low relief and sparse tree cover, the mean and standard deviation of elevation differences between the ICESat centroid and SRTM are −0.60 ± 3.46 m. The differences are −5.61 ± 15.68 m in high relief, sparse tree cover areas, and −3.53 ± 8.04 m in flat areas with dense tree cover. The largest differences occur in rugged, densely‐vegetated regions.
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The SRTM C-band has significantly better penetrability than SRTM X-band, but all rely on knowledge of vegetation type, density and structure to a large extent.
“The SRTM Cband has significantly better penetrability than SRTM X-band, but all of them rely on knowledge of vegetation type, density and structure to a large extent (Carabajal and Harding 2005;Hofton et al. 2006;Farr et al. 2007;Li et al. 2016).”
From Vertical accuracy evaluation of freely available latest high-resolution (30 m) global digital elevation models over Cameroon (Central Africa) with GPS/leveling ground control points. (2019) · cites this paper as Carabajal and Harding 2005
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Yap, L., Kandé, L. H., Nouayou, R., Kamguia, J., Ngouh, N. A., & Makuate, M. B. (2019) · International Journal of Digital Earth · doi:10.1080/17538947.2018.1458163 · Cited by 70 · see citing works
- Authors
- Carabajal, C. C., & Harding, D. J.
- Affiliations
- Goddard Space Flight Center (US)
- Venue
- Geophysical Research Letters
- Publisher
- American Geophysical Union (AGU)
- Published
- 2005-11
- Volume
- 32
- Issue
- 22
- ISSN
- 0094-8276 (ISSN-L)
- 1944-8007
- OpenAlex
- W2080341437
- Cited by
- 167
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 19.11
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Geophysical Research Letters (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Ocean Engineering › Satellite Image Processing and Photogrammetry
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Remote Sensing and LiDAR Applications
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Aerospace Engineering › Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Applications and Techniques
- Keywords
- ICESat, GLAS, SRTM, digital elevation model, C-band radar, elevation accuracy, vertical error, phase center, tree cover, topographic relief, American West
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