Toward a Method of Constructing Tidal Flat Digital Elevation Models with MODIS and Medium-Resolution Satellite Images

Abstract

ABSTRACT Liu, Y.; Li, M.; Mao, L.; Cheng, L., and Li, F., 2013. Toward a method of constructing tidal flat digital elevation models with MODIS and medium-resolution satellite images. The terrain of tidal flats often varies remarkably over space and time, but few existing methods are capable of producing fine–spatiotemporal resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) for tidal flats. This research aims to fill the knowledge gap and propose a 6-step method to construct tidal flat DEMs by incorporating both moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer and medium-resolution satellite images. The six steps include: waterline extraction, water level simulation, height assignment, median filtering, waterline point fusion, and interpolation to DEMs. A case study was conducted at the Dongsha sandbank—one of the largest sandbanks among the radial tidal sand ridges of Jiangsu Province, China. The resultant DEMs were compared with the light detection and ranging–based DEMs for vertical accuracy assessment. The result...