Evaluating the Quality and Accuracy of TanDEM-X Digital Elevation Models at Archaeological Sites in the Cilician Plain, Turkey

Abstract

Abstract:Satellite remote sensing provides a powerful instrument for mapping and monitoring traces of historical settlements and infrastructure, not only in distant areas and crisis regions. It helps archaeologists to embed their findings from field surveys into the broader context of the landscape. With the start of the TanDEM-X mission, spatially explicit 3D-information is available to researchers at an unprecedented resolution worldwide. We examined different experimental TanDEM-X digital elevation models (DEM) that were processed from two different imaging modes (Stripmap/High Resolution Spotlight) using the operational alternating bistatic acquisition mode. The quality and accuracy of the experimental DEM products was compared to other available DEM products and a high precision archaeological field survey. The results indicate the potential of TanDEM-X Stripmap (SM) data for mapping surface elements at regional scale. For the alluvial plain of Cilicia, a suspected palaeochannel could be reconstructed. At the local scale, DEM products from TanDEM-X High Resolution Spotlight (HS) mode were processed at 2 m spatial resolution using a merge of two monostatic/bistatic OPEN ACCESS Remote Sens. 2014, 6 9476 interferograms. The absolute and relative vertical accuracy of the outcome meet the specification of high resolution elevation data (HRE) standards from the National System for Geospatial Intelligence (NSG) at the HRE20 level.

SARchaeology—Detecting Palaeochannels Based on High Resolution Radar Data and Their Impact of Changes in the Settlement Pattern in Cilicia (Turkey)

“…In Stripmap (SM) mode the course of the Ceyhan River was covered at an azimuth resolution of 2.54 m. The High Resolution Spotlight (HS) mode enabled the registration of a smaller area of interest (approx. 5 × 5 km 2 ) at a nominal resolution of 1.13 m in azimuth (see [51] for a detailed description of image processing). In addition to TanDEM-X, other freely available DEM products from the shuttle radar topography mission (SRTM C-band version 4.1 with 90 m resolution, SRTM X-band with 30 m resolution) as well as the ASTER Global DEM (V.2) were used to generate a high resolution DEM-mosaic ( Figure 6).…”

Determining hydrological regimes in an agriculturally used tropical inland valley wetland in Central Uganda using soil moisture, groundwater, and digital elevation data

“…The high dynamic and spotty elevation patterns depicted in TanDEM‐X DEM could be explained by heterogeneity in vegetation cover, slope, and radar beam geometry. The penetration depth of the radar wave in vegetation is higher for SRTM with a C band than for TanDEM‐X with an X band (Erasmi et al, ; Smith & Sandwell, ). Hence, TanDEM‐X is more sensitive to vegetation cover than SRTM.…”

“…The reason for this approach was to assess the accuracy and reliability of these DEMs in mapping ground surface elevation and thus microscale topography at a wetland scale with and without the knowledge of vegetation cover. The accuracy of both DEMs was assessed based on the computation techniques described by Erasmi, Rosenbauer, Buchbach, Busche, and Rutishauser ().…”

Discernibility of Burial Mounds in High-Resolution X-Band SAR Images for Archaeological Prospections in the Altai Mountains

“…Due to its weather independence and high geo-location accuracy, we found high-resolution SAR data to be a useful tool for planning archaeological prospections, for example when identifying areas of interest and planning the logistics of surveys. In recent years, thanks to its wider availability and higher spatial resolution, SAR is becoming more commonly used in archaeology (see, e.g., [6][7][8][9]). …”