Antarctic 5-km Digital Elevation Model from ERS-1 Altimetry

Data Contributors

BAMBER, JONATHAN
LAYBERRY, R. L.L.
GOGENINI, S. P.

Parameters

GLACIER ELEVATION/ICE SHEET ELEVATION
GLACIER TOPOGRAPHY/ICE SHEET TOPOGRAPHY
ICE SHEETS
SURFACE ROUGHNESS
TOPOGRAPHICAL RELIEF

Instruments

RA : ERS RADAR ALTIMETER
RADAR ALTIMETERS

This data set provides a digital elevation model (DEM) for Antarctica to 81.5 degrees south latitude, at a resolution of 5 km. Approximately twenty million data points were used to generate this data set. Data points were derived from ERS-1 radar altimetry during the geodetic phase from March 1994 to May 1995. The improved density in coverage and resolution, compared with past satellite altimetry missions, provides better detection of topographic detail such as surface undulations, ice streams, grounding zones, and interstream ridges. DEM data are in a polar stereographic projection with the origin at the south pole, and are referenced to the OSU91A geoid.

The ERS-1 satellite radar altimeter measurements are highly useful for determining precise ice sheet elevations in Antarctica. The orthometric heights derived from the ERS-1 data contribute to a more accurate and complete mapping of the Antarctic Ice Sheets than previously possible, and therefore to ongoing studies of ice mass balance studies in Antarctica.

The DEM is provided as a single ASCII text file, accessible by ftp. Data access is unrestricted, but we recommend that users register with us. Registered users automatically receive e-mail notification of product updates and changes to processing.

Data Citation

If these data are used in a publication, they should be cited using the following reference:

Bamber, J.L. and R.A. Bindschadler. 1997. An improved elevation dataset for climate and ice-sheet modelling: validation with satellite imagery. Annals of Glaciology 25:438-444.

Also, to help us serve the scientific and cryospheric research communities, please acknowledge NSIDC:

Data provided by the National Snow and Ice Data Center DAAC, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.