ETOPO5 Database
Global 5 Arc Minute Elevation/Bathymetry Data Set
ETOPO5 is a global digital elevation model (DEM) with a horizontal grid
spacing of 5 arc minutes (approximately 9 kilometer)....(more on the
etopo5, look for the NGDC/NOAA USA site)
!! ETOPO5 is now superceded by the significantly revised dataset "TERRAINBASE". !!
Comparison of TerrainBase with ETOPO5
ETOPO5 evolved from a 5-minute global terrain model that was initially
developed in 1985 at Washington University. The model was produced as a
mosaic of five source models*most of which are also included in this release
of TerrainBase. Since its inception, ETOPO5 has been a very important terrain
data resource for a broad array of users. Despite its popularity, it contains a
large number of errors and artifacts that effectively limits the applicability
of these data for certain uses. This release of TerrainBase attempts to address
many of these problems.
The most significant improvement of TerrainBase in comparison to ETOPO5 is
the amount and quality of source data that were used for global model
development. TerrainBase has fifteen sources of data compared to five that
went into producing ETOPO5. In addition, TerrainBase includes on the CD-
ROM all of the source data that went into producing the global model as
separate files in their original resolution, whereas ETOPO5 consists of only
one global file sampled at 5 arc-minutes. Documentation has been redesigned and
extended.
The TerrainBase 5-minute global model uses most of the same data that went
in to developing ETOPO5; however, TerrainBase includes ten additional
sources of data which provide a substantial improvement in overall quality.
Most of the significant improvements in the data include the parts of the model
that cover the continents of North America, South America, Europe, Africa,
Greenland, and Australia. No improvements were possible for Asia, Antarctica,
and the oceans at the time of this release.
Although the TerrainBase 5-minute global model contains many significant
artifacts (as described in Chapter 5), it provides substantial improvements in
quality, structure and documentation over its predecessors.
(above taken from:README file at
ftp://ftp.ngdc.noaa.gov/Solid_Earth/Topography/tbase_5min/)
|
ftp://ftp.ngdc.noaa.gov/Solid_Earth/Topography/tbase_5min/
Images
Color/Shaded Images
Blue and Red Glasses Stereo Images
Rturn to Home
