scholarly journals A method based on structure-from-motion photogrammetry to generate sub-millimetre-resolution digital elevation models for investigating rock breakdown features

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ankit Kumar Verma ◽  
Mary Carol Bourke
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Structure From Motion ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Digital Elevation Models ◽  
Point Clouds ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Weathered Rock ◽  
Topographic Data ◽  
Digital Elevation ◽  
Dense Point

Abstract. We have generated sub-millimetre-resolution DEMs of weathered rock surfaces using SfM photogrammetry techniques. We apply a close-range method based on structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry in the field and use it to generate high-resolution topographic data for weathered boulders and bedrock. The method was pilot tested on extensively weathered Triassic Moenkopi sandstone outcrops near Meteor Crater in Arizona. Images were taken in the field using a consumer-grade DSLR camera and were processed in commercially available software to build dense point clouds. The point clouds were registered to a local 3-D coordinate system (x, y, z), which was developed using a specially designed triangle-coded control target and then exported as digital elevation models (DEMs). The accuracy of the DEMs was validated under controlled experimental conditions. A number of checkpoints were used to calculate errors. We also evaluated the effects of image and camera parameters on the accuracy of our DEMs. We report a horizontal error of 0.5 mm and vertical error of 0.3 mm in our experiments. Our approach provides a low-cost method for obtaining very high-resolution topographic data on weathered rock surfaces (area < 10 m2). The results from our case study confirm the efficacy of the method at this scale and show that the data acquisition equipment is sufficiently robust and portable. This is particularly important for field conditions in remote locations or steep terrain where portable and efficient methods are required.

scholarly journals A Structure from Motion photogrammetry-based method to generate sub-millimetre resolution Digital Elevation Models for investigating rock breakdown features

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ankit K. Verma ◽  
Mary C. Bourke
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Structure From Motion ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Digital Elevation Models ◽  
Point Clouds ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Weathered Rock ◽  
Topographic Data ◽  
Digital Elevation ◽  
Dense Point

Abstract. We have generated sub-millimetre resolution DEMs of weathered rock surfaces using SfM photogrammetry techniques. We apply a close-range Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry-based method in the field and use it to generate high-resolution topographic data for weathered boulders and bedrock. The method was pilot tested on extensively weathered Triassic Moenkopi Sandstone outcrops near Meteor Crater in Arizona. Images were taken in the field using a consumer grade DSLR camera and were processed in commercially available software Agisoft Photoscan to build dense point cloud. Dense point clouds were registered to a local 3D coordinate system (x, y, z) which was developed using a specially designed triangle coded control target and then exported as Digital Elevation Models (DEMs). The accuracy of the DEMs was validated under controlled experimental conditions. A number of checkpoints were used to calculate errors. We also evaluated the effects of image and camera parameters on the accuracy of our DEMs. We report a horizontal error of 0.5 mm and vertical error of 0.3 mm in our experiments. Our approach provides a low-cost method, for obtaining very high-resolution topographic data on weathered rock surfaces (area

scholarly journals Creating Low-Cost High-Resolution Digital Elevation Models

2003 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 92 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Louhaichi ◽  
M. M. Borman ◽  
A. L. Johnson ◽  
D. E. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Digital Elevation Models ◽  
Digital Elevation

scholarly journals Creating low-cost high-resolution digital elevation models.

2006 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Louhaichi ◽  
M.M. Borman ◽  
A.L. Johnson ◽  
D.E. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Digital Elevation Models ◽  
Digital Elevation

scholarly journals How does grid-resolution modulate the topographic expression of geomorphic processes?

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 627-653 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart W. D. Grieve ◽  
Simon M. Mudd ◽  
David T. Milodowski ◽  
Fiona J. Clubb ◽  
David J. Furbish
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Point Clouds ◽  
The United States ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Grid Resolution ◽  
Topographic Analysis ◽  
Topographic Data ◽  
Digital Elevation ◽  
D Values ◽  
Resolution Data

Abstract. In many locations, our ability to study the processes which shape the Earth are greatly enhanced through the use of high-resolution digital topographic data. However, although the availability of such datasets has markedly increased in recent years, many locations of significant geomorphic interest still do not have high-resolution topographic data available. Here, we aim to constrain how well we can understand surface processes through topographic analysis performed on lower-resolution data. We generate digital elevation models from point clouds at a range of grid resolutions from 1 to 30 m, which covers the range of widely used data resolutions available globally, at three locations in the United States. Using these data, the relationship between curvature and grid resolution is explored, alongside the estimation of the hillslope sediment transport coefficient (D, in m2 yr−1) for each landscape. Curvature, and consequently D, values are shown to be generally insensitive to grid resolution, particularly in landscapes with broad hilltops and valleys. Curvature distributions, however, become increasingly condensed around the mean, and theoretical considerations suggest caution should be used when extracting curvature from landscapes with sharp ridges. The sensitivity of curvature and topographic gradient to grid resolution are also explored through analysis of one-dimensional approximations of curvature and gradient, providing a theoretical basis for the results generated using two-dimensional topographic data. Two methods of extracting channels from topographic data are tested. A geometric method of channel extraction that finds channels by detecting threshold values of planform curvature is shown to perform well at resolutions up to 30 m in all three landscapes. The landscape parameters of hillslope length and relief are both successfully extracted at the same range of resolutions. These parameters can be used to detect landscape transience and our results suggest that such work need not be confined to high-resolution topographic data. A synthesis of the results presented in this work indicates that although high-resolution (e.g., 1 m) topographic data do yield exciting possibilities for geomorphic research, many key parameters can be understood in lower-resolution data, given careful consideration of how analyses are performed.

scholarly journals How does grid-resolution modulate the topographic expression of geomorphic processes?

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart W. D. Grieve ◽  
Simon M. Mudd ◽  
David T. Milodowski ◽  
Fiona J. Clubb ◽  
David J. Furbish
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Point Clouds ◽  
The United States ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Grid Resolution ◽  
Topographic Analysis ◽  
Topographic Data ◽  
Digital Elevation ◽  
D Values ◽  
Resolution Data

Abstract. In many locations, our ability to study the processes which shape the Earth are greatly enhanced through the use of high resolution digital topographic data. However, although the availability of such datasets has markedly increased in recent years, many locations of significant geomorphic interest still do not have high resolution topographic data available. Here, we aim to constrain how well we can understand surface processes through topographic analysis performed on lower resolution data. We generate digital elevation models from point clouds at a range of grid sizes from 1 to 30 m, which covers the range of widely used data resolutions available globally, at three locations in the United States. Using this data, the relationship between curvature and grid resolution is explored, alongside the estimation of the hillslope sediment transport coefficient (D, in m2 yr−1) for each landscape. Curvature, and consequently D, values are shown to be generally insensitive to grid resolution, particularly in landscapes with broad hilltops and valleys. Curvature distributions, however, become increasingly condensed around the mean, and theoretical considerations suggest caution should be used when extracting curvature from landscapes with sharp ridges. Two methods of extracting channels from topographic data are tested. A geometric method of channel extraction that finds channels by detecting threshold values of planform curvature is shown to perform well at resolutions up to 30 m in all three landscapes. The landscape parameters of hillslope length and relief are both successfully extracted at the same range of resolutions. These parameters can be used to detect landscape transience and our results suggest that such work need not be confined to high resolution topographic data. A synthesis of the results presented in this work indicate that although high resolution (e.g., 1 m) topographic data does yield exciting possibilities for geomorphic research, many key parameters can be understood in lower resolution data, given careful consideration of how analyses are performed.

scholarly journals The Methodological Aspects of Constructing a High-Resolution DEM of Large Territories Using Low-Cost UAVs on the Example of the Sarycum Aeolian Complex, Dagestan, Russia

Drones ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
Artur Gafurov
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Nature Reserve ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Digital Elevation Models ◽  
Ultrahigh Resolution ◽  
Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Digital Elevation ◽  
Methodological Aspects ◽  
First Time

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) have long been well established as a reliable way to construct highly accurate, up-to-date digital elevation models (DEM). However, the territories which were modeled by the results of UAV surveys can be characterized as very local. This paper presents the results of surveying the Sarycum area of the Dagestan Nature Reserve of Russia with an area of 15 sq. km using a DJI Phantom 4 UAV, as well as the methodological recommendations for conducting work on such a large territory. As a result of this work, a DEM with 0.5 m resolution as well as an ultrahigh resolution orthophotoplane were obtained for the first time for this territory, which make it possible to assess the dynamics of aeolian processes at a qualitatively different level.

scholarly journals Glacier elevation and mass changes over the central Karakoram region estimated from TanDEM-X and SRTM/X-SAR digital elevation models

2016 ◽  
Vol 57 (71) ◽  
pp. 273-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie Rankl ◽  
Matthias Braun
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Snow Cover ◽  
Digital Elevation Models ◽  
Mass Balances ◽  
Freshwater Resources ◽  
Digital Elevation ◽  
Glacier Changes ◽  
Kinematic Waves ◽  
Elevation Changes ◽  
River Communities

AbstractSnow cover and glaciers in the Karakoram region are important freshwater resources for many down-river communities as they provide water for irrigation and hydropower. A better understanding of current glacier changes is hence an important informational baseline. We present glacier elevation changes in the central Karakoram region using TanDEM-X and SRTM/X-SAR DEM differences between 2000 and 2012. We calculated elevation differences for glaciers with advancing and stable termini or surge-type glaciers separately using an inventory from a previous study. Glaciers with stable and advancing termini since the 1970s showed nearly balanced elevation changes of -0.09 ±0.12 m a-1 on average or mass budgets of -0.01 ±0.02Gt a-1 (using a density of 850 kg m-3). Our findings are in accordance with previous studies indicating stable or only slightly negative glacier mass balances during recent years in the Karakoram. The high-resolution elevation changes revealed distinct patterns of mass relocation at glacier surfaces during active surge cycles. The formation of kinematic waves at quiescent surge-type glaciers could be observed and points towards future active surge behaviour. Our study reveals the potential of the TanDEM-X mission to estimate geodetic glacier mass balances, but also points to still existing uncertainties induced by the geodetic method.

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