Validation of digital elevation models (DEMs) and comparison of geomorphic metrics on the southern Central Andean Plateau

Purinton, Benjamin; Bookhagen, Bodo

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-211-2017

Articles | Volume 5, issue 2

https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-211-2017

© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-211-2017

© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Articles | Volume 5, issue 2

Research article

|

13 Apr 2017

Research article |

| 13 Apr 2017

Validation of digital elevation models (DEMs) and comparison of geomorphic metrics on the southern Central Andean Plateau

Benjamin Purinton and Bodo Bookhagen

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-211-2017-supplement

Model code and software

DEM Fourier noise analysis code for MATLAB B. Purinton https://github.com/bpurinton/DEM_fourier_noise

Short summary

We evaluate the 12 m TanDEM-X DEM for geomorphometry and compare elevation accuracy (using over 300 000 dGPS measurements) and geomorphic metrics (e.g., slope and curvature) to other modern satellite-derived DEMs. The optically generated 5 m ALOS World 3D is less useful due to high-frequency noise. Despite improvements in radar-derived satellite DEMs, which are useful for elevation differencing and catchment analysis, lidar data are still necessary for fine-scale analysis of hillslope processes.