Digital elevation models on accuracy validation and bias correction in vertical

Digital Elevation Model (DEM) is used to represent the terrain of the earth. A free provided DEMs are the 10 m DEM produced by the Geographical Survey Institute of Japan (GSI-DEM), Advanced Space Borne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer-Global DEM, Shuttle Radar Topography Mission, Global Multi-resolution Terrain Elevation Data 2010, Hydrological data and maps based on Shuttle Elevation Derivatives at multiple Scales, and Global 30 Arc-Second Elevation that are actually used in scientific studies. DEMs have made a high accuracy to assess an error using an observation elevation point. The DEMs in this study at an original spatial resolution of the Shikoku Island, Japan were collected that were evaluated and corrected by using the referent elevation points observed by global position system. The evaluation and correction method of the DEMs were based on the statistical measures and linear transformation algorithm respectively. The results reveal that the GSI-DEM has higher accuracy than the five DEMs, and these DEMs have gotten more accuracy after corrected by the transform’s parameters. This approach will be used to recommend for a new DEM in a future, and it can be applied for making a high accuracy DEM to model the earth’s terrain. © 2015, Springer International Publishing Switzerland.