Abstract
Viewshed Creation: From Digital Terrain Model to Digital Surface Model
Track: Modeling
Author
Intervisibility studies are limited by the dearth of Digital Surface Model (DSM) elevation data. Most publically available DEMs are Digital Terrain Models (DTM). This presentation explores using ArcGIS Model Builder to create DSMs from DTM data from the USGS National Elevation Dataset by extracting vegetation information and man-made structures from National Land Cover Database, Landfire, and National Biomass and Carbon Dataset. Viewsheds from these DSMs will be compared with in-situ observations, LIDAR and IFSAR DSM viewsheds.
The NLCD's landcover categories, the Landfire vegetation heights and the NBCD canopy height can be used to approximate a DSM with a resolution of 302 meters. The LIDAR DSM/DTM was collected at .7 meter intervals and the IFSAR DSM has a resolution of 5 meters. Comparisons for the Rio Grande Valley, Texas (mean slope under 1%) and Aroostook County, Maine (mean slope about 10%) reveal how slope and vegetation differences affect results.
Edward Ashton
Penn State University
376 Albair Rd
Caribou, Maine 04736
United States
Phone: 956-207-5347
E-mail: curiousgis@gmail.com