Investigation of the accuracy of Google Earth elevation data

• Autorzy: El-Ashmawy K. L. A.

Identyfikatory

DOI

10.1515/arsa-2016-0008

• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) comprise valuable source of elevation data required for many engineering applications. Contour lines, slope - aspect maps are part of their many uses. Moreover, DEMs are used often in geographic information systems (GIS), and are the most common basis for digitally-produced relief maps. This paper proposes a method of generating DEM by using Google Earth elevation data which is easier and free. The case study consisted of three different small regions in the northern beach in Egypt. The accuracy of the Google earth derived elevation data are reported using root mean square error (RMSE), mean error (ME) and maximum absolute error (MAE). All these accuracy statistics were computed using the ground coordinates of 200 reference points for each region of the case study. The reference data was collected with total station survey. The results showed that the accuracies for the prepared DEMs are suitable for some certain engineering applications but inadequate to meet the standard required for fine/small scale DEM for very precise engineering study. The obtained accuracies for terrain with small height difference can be used for preparing large area cadastral, city planning, or land classification maps. In general, Google Earth elevation data can be used only for investigation and preliminary studies with low cost. It is strongly concluded that the users of Google Earth have to test the accuracy of elevation data by comparing with reference data before using it.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

Google Earth; elevation data accuracy; digital elevation model; surfer; Terrain Zonum

• Wydawca: Centrum Badań Kosmicznych PAN ; De Gruyter
• Czasopismo: Artificial Satellites : Journal of Planetary Geodesy
• Rocznik: 2016
• Tom: Vol. 51, No. 3
• Strony: 89--97
• Opis fizyczny: Bibliogr. 11 poz., rys.

Twórcy

autor

El-Ashmawy K. L. A.

• Al-Matria Faculty of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt

Bibliografia

• ASPRS, American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. (1993). ASPRS accuracy standards for large-scale maps. Bethesda (MD): ASPRS, USA.
• Bomford, G. (1977), Geodesy. 3rd edition, Oxford Univ. Press, London, UK.
• El-Ashmawy, K., and A.B. Azeez (2005). Generation of Mathematical Digital Terrain Model (DTM) Data for Testing DTM Generation Methodologies. Engineering Research Journal, Faculty of Engineering, University of Helwan, Egypt, Vol. 102, pp C 33 - C 49.
• Golden Software (2012), Surfer Version 11: Reference Manual. Golden Software, Inc., Golden, Colorado, U.S.A.
• Google (2015), About Google Earth: Understanding Google Earth imagery. Retrieved May 2, 2015 from http://earth.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?&answer=176147.
• Gregory, K. (1998), Special Edition Using Visual C++ 6. Que, USA.
• Hoffmann, E. and F. Winde (2010). Generating high-resolution digital elevation models for wetland research using Google EarthTM imagery: an example from South Africa, Water SA. (Online), Vol. 36, pp. 53-68. (Accessed on 09/04/2014).
• Milne, P.H. (1987), Computer Graphics for Surveying. E.&F.N. Spon Ltd., London, UK.
• Sharma, A., Tiwari, K.N. and P.B.S. Bhadoria (2010), Vertical Accuracy of Digital Elevation Model from Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission - A Case Study, Geocarto International, Vol. 25, No 4, pp 257-267.
• Terrain Zonum (2015), Retrieved on October 12, 2015, from http://www.zonums.com/gmaps/terrain.php.
• Topcon (2013), Retrieved on March 25, 2013 from http://www.topcon.co.jp/en/index.html

Uwagi

Opracowanie rekordu ze środków MNiSW, umowa Nr 461252 w ramach programu "Społeczna odpowiedzialność nauki" - moduł: Popularyzacja nauki i promocja sportu (2020).