Digital elevation model and orthophotographs of Greenland based on aerial photographs from 1978-1987

• Published in: Scientific Data
• Main Authors: Korsgaard, Niels J., Nuth, Christopher, Khan, Shfaqat Abbas, Kjeldsen, Kristian K., Bjørk, Anders A., Schomacker, Anders, Kjær, Kurt H.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: Cryospheric science; Geomorphology; Climate and Earth system modelling; Greenland; glacier; Ice Sheet
• Online Access: https://orbit.dtu.dk/en/publications/e7a7822a-b06c-46a6-8497-74e198748835; https://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2016.32; https://backend.orbit.dtu.dk/ws/files/125167191/Digital_elevation_model_and_orthophotographs_of_Greenland_based_on_aerial_photographs_from_1978_1987.pdf

Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) play a prominent role in glaciological studies for the mass balance of glaciers and ice sheets. By providing a time snapshot of glacier geometry, DEMs are crucial for most glacier evolution modelling studies, but are also important for cryospheric modelling in general. We present a historical medium-resolution DEM and orthophotographs that consistently cover the entire surroundings and margins of the Greenland Ice Sheet 1978-1987. About 3,500 aerial photographs of Greenland are combined with field surveyed geodetic ground control to produce a 25 m gridded DEM and a 2 m black-and-white digital orthophotograph. Supporting data consist of a reliability mask and a photo footprint coverage with recording dates. Through one internal and two external validation tests, this DEM shows an accuracy better than 10 m horizontally and 6 m vertically while the precision is better than 4 m. This dataset proved successful for topographical mapping and geodetic mass balance. Other uses include control and calibration of remotely sensed data such as imagery or InSAR velocity maps.