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

该团队由Nolan领导，将购买、验证和分发一个新的、高分辨率的阿拉斯加北方Kuparuk河流域数字高程模型（DEM），供所有需要此类数据进行研究的NSF资助科学家使用。 在阿拉斯加北极地区，通常唯一可用的DEM是来自美国地质勘探局的DEM，像素大小约为60 m x 90 m，垂直精度约为15 m。 这些DEM通常在图纸边界处具有较大的误差，使得它们难以精确镶嵌。 相比之下，由Intermap技术公司运营的Star3i X波段航空雷达系统创建了5米像素大小的地形无缝DEM，平均垂直误差为1至3米，具体取决于购买的产品。Intermap于2001年8月收购了Kuparuk流域，该DEM现已作为现成产品提供。 向NSF研究人员提供的分发包将包括更多的原始数据。 该团队将验证新DEM的准确性，主要是通过比较从DEM创建的水文通道网络与真实的世界中发现的水文通道网络。 他们还将产生这些河流通道的矢量层，供许多GIS应用程序使用，并计算流域的一些基本水文信息。其中将包括各种共享软件，使新手用户能够方便地访问数据，并包括一些静态图像和动画，用于分析和推广。最后，它们将包括一些参考资料和技术规格，以帮助新用户了解数据的局限性。DEM将通过JOSS提供给所有NSF研究人员。

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.