A practical method for SRTM DEM correction over vegetated mountain areas

Digital elevation models (DEMs) are essential to various applications in topography, geomorphology, hydrology, and ecology. The Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) DEM data set is one of the most complete and most widely used DEM data sets; it provides accurate information on elevations over bare land areas. However, the accuracy of SRTM data over vegetated mountain areas is relatively low as a result of the high relief and the penetration limitation of the C-band used for obtaining global DEM products. The objective of this study is to assess the performance of SRTM DEMs and correct them over vegetated mountain areas with small-footprint airborne Light Detection and Ranging (Lidar) data, which can develop elevation products and vegetation products [e.g., vegetation height, Leaf Area Index (LAI)] of high accuracy. The assessing results show that SRTM elevations are systematically higher than those of the actual land surfaces over vegetated mountain areas. The mean difference between SRTM DEM and Lidar DEM increases with vegetation height, whereas the standard deviation of the difference increases with slope. To improve the accuracy of SRTM DEM over vegetated mountain areas, a regression model between the SRTM elevation bias and vegetation height, LAI, and slope was developed based on one control site. Without changing any coefficients, this model was proved to be applicable in all the nine study sites, which have various topography and vegetation conditions. The mean bias of the corrected SRTM DEM at the nine study sites using this model (absolute value) is 89% smaller than that of the original SRTM DEM, and the standard deviation of the corrected SRTM elevation bias is 11% smaller.