Digital Elevation Model Calibration Research Articles

Generation and performance assessment of the global TanDEM-X digital elevation model

The primary objective of the TanDEM-X mission is the generation of a global, consistent, and high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM) with unprecedented global accuracy. The goal is achieved by exploiting the interferometric capabilities of the two twin SAR satellites TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X, which fly in a close orbit formation, acting as an X-band single-pass interferometer. Between December 2010 and early 2015 all land surfaces have been acquired at least twice, difficult terrain up to seven or eight times. The acquisition strategy, data processing, and DEM calibration and mosaicking have been systematically monitored and optimized throughout the entire mission duration, in order to fulfill the specification. The processing of all data has finally been completed in September 2016 and this paper reports on the final performance of the TanDEM-X global DEM and presents the acquisition and processing strategy which allowed to obtain the final DEM quality. The results confirm the outstanding global accuracy of the delivered product, which can be now utilized for both scientific and commercial applications.

Operational TanDEM-X DEM calibration and first validation results

In June 2010, the German TanDEM-X satellite was launched. Together with its twin satellite TerraSAR-X it flies in a close formation enabling single-pass SAR interferometry. The primary goal of the TanDEM-X mission is the derivation of a global digital elevation model (DEM) with unprecedented global accuracies of 10m in absolute and 2m in relative height. A significant calibration effort is required to achieve this high quality world-wide. In spite of an intensive instrument calibration and a highly accurate orbit and baseline determination, some systematic height errors like offsets and tilts in the order of some meters remain in the interferometric DEMs and have to be determined and removed during the TanDEM-X DEM calibration. The objective of this article is the presentation of an approach for the estimation of correction parameters for remaining systematic height errors applicable to interferometric height models. The approach is based on a least-squares block adjustment using the elevation of ICESat GLA14 data as ground control points and connecting points of adjacent, overlapping DEMs as tie-points. In the first part its implementation in DLR’s ground segment is outlined. In the second part the approach is applied and validated for two of the first TanDEM-X DEM test sites. Therefore, independent reference data, in particular high resolution reference DEMs and GPS tracks, are used. The results show that the absolute height errors of the TanDEM-X DEM are small in these cases, mostly in the order of 1–2m. An additional benefit of the proposed block adjustment method is that it improves the relative accuracy of adjacent DEMs.

Development of the TanDEM-X Calibration Concept: Analysis of Systematic Errors

The TanDEM-X mission, result of the partnership between the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and Astrium GmbH, opens a new era in spaceborne radar remote sensing. The first bistatic satellite synthetic aperture radar mission is formed by flying TanDEM-X and TerraSAR-X in a closely controlled helix formation. The primary mission goal is the derivation of a high-precision global digital elevation model (DEM) according to High-Resolution Terrain Information (HRTI) level 3 accuracy. The finite precision of the baseline knowledge and uncompensated radar instrument drifts introduce errors that may compromise the height accuracy requirements. By means of a DEM calibration, which uses absolute height references, and the information provided by adjacent interferogram overlaps, these height errors can be minimized. This paper summarizes the exhaustive studies of the nature of the residual-error sources that have been carried out during the development of the DEM calibration concept. Models for these errors are set up and simulations of the resulting DEM height error for different scenarios provide the basis for the development of a successful DEM calibration strategy for the TanDEM-X mission.

TanDEM-X: A Satellite Formation for High-Resolution SAR Interferometry

<para xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> TanDEM-X (TerraSAR-X add-on for Digital Elevation Measurements) is an innovative spaceborne radar interferometer that is based on two TerraSAR-X radar satellites flying in close formation. The primary objective of the TanDEM-X mission is the generation of a consistent global digital elevation model (DEM) with an unprecedented accuracy, which is equaling or surpassing the HRTI-3 specification. Beyond that, TanDEM-X provides a highly reconfigurable platform for the demonstration of new radar imaging techniques and applications. This paper gives a detailed overview of the TanDEM-X mission concept which is based on the systematic combination of several innovative technologies. The key elements are the bistatic data acquisition employing an innovative phase synchronization link, a novel satellite formation flying concept allowing for the collection of bistatic data with short along-track baselines, as well as the use of new interferometric modes for system verification and DEM calibration. The interferometric performance is analyzed in detail, taking into account the peculiarities of the bistatic operation. Based on this analysis, an optimized DEM data acquisition plan is derived which employs the combination of multiple data takes with different baselines. Finally, a collection of instructive examples illustrates the capabilities of TanDEM-X for the development and demonstration of new remote sensing applications. </para>