Purchase and Distribution of a new Digital Elevation Model of the Kuparuk Watershed, Alaska, for NSF Arctic Scientists

由诺兰领导的团队将购买、验证和分发阿拉斯加北部库帕鲁克河流域的新的高分辨率数字高程模型(DEM)，供所有NSF资助的科学家使用，这些科学家在他们的研究中需要这些数据。在阿拉斯加北极，唯一常见的DEM是美国地质勘探局提供的DEM，像元大小约为60m×90m，垂直精度约为15m。这些DEM在地表边界往往存在较大误差，难以精确镶嵌。相比之下，Intermap Technology Corporation运营的Star3i X波段机载雷达系统可以创建5米像素大小的地形无缝DEM，平均垂直误差为1至3米，具体取决于所购买的产品。Intermap于2001年8月收购了Kuparuk分水岭，该DEM现在可以作为现成的产品使用。向NSF研究人员提供的分发包将包括比原始数据更多的内容。该小组将验证新的DEM的准确性，主要是通过将DEM创建的水文渠道网络与现实世界中发现的进行比较。他们还将生成这些河道的矢量层，用于许多地理信息系统应用程序，并计算有关流域的一些基本水文信息。它们将包括各种共享软件，允许新手用户轻松访问数据，以及包括一些用于分析和推广的静止图像和动画。最后，它们将包括一些参考资料和技术规范，以帮助新用户了解数据的局限性。数字高程模型将通过JOSS向所有NSF研究人员提供。

The team, lead by Nolan, will purchase, validate, and distribute a new, high resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of the Kuparuk River watershed in northern Alaska, for use by all NSF funded scientists who require such data for their research. In the Alaskan Arctic the only DEMs commonly available are those from the USGS, with pixel size of roughly 60 m x 90 m and vertical accuracy of about 15 m. These DEMs often have large errors at the sheet boundaries, making them difficult to mosaic accurately. In contrast, the Star3i X-band airborne-radar system operated by Intermap Technology Corporation, creates a topographically seamless DEM at 5 m pixel size with a mean vertical error of 1 to 3 m, depending on product purchased. Intermap acquired the Kuparuk watershed in August of 2001, and this DEM is now available as an off-the-shelf product. The distribution package made available to NSF researchers will include more than the raw data. The team will validate the new DEMs for accuracy, principally through comparing hydrologic channel networks created from the DEMs with those found in the real world. They will also produce vector layers of these stream channels for use in many GIS applications, and calculate some basic hydrological information on the watershed. They will include a variety of shareware software to allow novice users to easily access the data, as well as include a number of still images and animations for use in analysis and outreach. Finally, they will include a number of references and technical specifications to help new users understand the limitations of the data. The DEM will be made available to all NSF researchers through JOSS.