Synergetic Use of Spaceborne Optical and SAR data for Generation of Digital Elevation Models and Automated Orthorectification of Optical Images (SYNERGOS)

• Forschungsstelle: INNOSUISSE
• Projektnummer: 9997.1;7 PFIW-IW
• Projekttitel Englisch: Synergetic Use of Spaceborne Optical and SAR data for Generation of Digital Elevation Models and Automated Orthorectification of Optical Images (SYNERGOS)

Kurzbeschreibung (Deutsch)

Synergetic Use of Spaceborne Optical and SAR data for Generation of Digital Elevation Models and Automated Orthorectification of Optical Images (SYNERGOS)

Kurzbeschreibung (Englisch)

Synergetic Use of Spaceborne Optical and SAR data for Generation of Digital Elevation Models and Automated Orthorectification of Optical Images (SYNERGOS)

Abstract (Deutsch)

The objective of this project is to develop methods and operational software for: - The quality evaluation of Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) and especially generation of improved DEMs based on the fusion of DEMs produced by various technologies (optical images, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) interferometry, laser scanning etc.). The quality evaluation of single DEMs is important as such data are very widely used for the most diverse applications. However, the accuracy of these datasets is often unknown, inhomogeneous, while almost always for their quality description only a global measure (root mean square error, standard deviation) is given. The fusion of DEMs is even more important, as it allows generation of new DEMs with higher point density, higher accuracy and better currency. Furthermore, fusion can help to fill-in gaps (like in the SRTM global DEM) or extend the area coverage of DEMs. A secondary aim within this objective is the detection of above-terrain objects (e.g. buildings, trees), which will facilitate the fusion of Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) with Digital Surface Models (DSMs) This is necessary as some DEM generation technologies (laser scanning, L-band and P-band SAR interferometry) can penetrate tree canopy and measure the terrain, while others like C- and X-band SAR interferometry and automated matching of optical images measure more or less the top visible surface, i.e. the tree canopy. By detecting above-terrain objects, they can be excluded from the fusion process, which should be performed using only the common information describing the terrain.

Abstract (Englisch)

The objective of this project is to develop methods and operational software for: - The quality evaluation of Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) and especially generation of improved DEMs based on the fusion of DEMs produced by various technologies (optical images, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) interferometry, laser scanning etc.). The quality evaluation of single DEMs is important as such data are very widely used for the most diverse applications. However, the accuracy of these datasets is often unknown, inhomogeneous, while almost always for their quality description only a global measure (root mean square error, standard deviation) is given. The fusion of DEMs is even more important, as it allows generation of new DEMs with higher point density, higher accuracy and better currency. Furthermore, fusion can help to fill-in gaps (like in the SRTM global DEM) or extend the area coverage of DEMs. A secondary aim within this objective is the detection of above-terrain objects (e.g. buildings, trees), which will facilitate the fusion of Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) with Digital Surface Models (DSMs) This is necessary as some DEM generation technologies (laser scanning, L-band and P-band SAR interferometry) can penetrate tree canopy and measure the terrain, while others like C- and X-band SAR interferometry and automated matching of optical images measure more or less the top visible surface, i.e. the tree canopy. By detecting above-terrain objects, they can be excluded from the fusion process, which should be performed using only the common information describing the terrain.