A new procedure for gridding elevation and stream line data with automatic removal of spurious pits

Abstract

A morphological approach to the interpolation of regular grid digital elevation models (DEMs) from surface specific elevation data points and selected stream lines is described. The approach has given rise to a computationally efficient interpolation procedure which couples the minimization of a terrain specific roughness penalty with an automatic drainage enforcement algorithm. The drainage enforcement algorithm removes spurious sinks or pits yielding DEMs which may be used to advantage in hydrological process studies. The drainage enforcement algorithm has also been found to significantly increase the accuracy of DEMs interpolated from sparse, but well chosen, surface specific elevation data. Moreover, it facilitates the detection of errors in elevation data that would not be detected by more conventional statistical means and forms a sound physical basis for cartographic generalization. Show more