magazén International Journal for Digital and Public Humanities

Journal | magazén
Monographic journal issue | 2 | 1 | 2021
Research Article | Quality Assessment of Digital Elevation Models in a Treeless High-Mountainous Landscape

Quality Assessment of Digital Elevation Models in a Treeless High-Mountainous Landscape

A Case Study from Mount Aragats, Armenia

Abstract

Global Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) are widely employed in geoarchaeology. Usually, their adequacy for particular landscapes is not tested. We assessed 30m-resolution-DEMs (ASTER, SRTM, ALOS, EU-DEM, NASADEM, NEXTMap) with local precision datasets. Our results reveal considerable differences (ASTER unsuitable for the region, NEXTMap and EU-DEM fit most closely to our reference model). This outcome does not necessarily apply to all similar regions. It rather stresses the need for a check of DEMs’ quality in any given study area, and it encourages the use of detailed topographic visualisations of DEMs in absence of suitable reference data.


Open access | Peer reviewed

Submitted: Jan. 15, 2021 | Accepted: May 5, 2021 | Published June 30, 2021 | Language: en

Keywords Spatial analysisGISComparison30m resolution DEMsLandscape archaeologyEvaluationRMSE

Subtags Technology Environment Communication Visualisation Analysis Geo-referenced data Modelling 3d data Monuments


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