Topographic Map of the Earth Released

NASA has announced the release of the most complete topographic data of the earth to date. 

Over 99 percent of the earth’s surface was mapped using measurements obtained from NASA’s Terra spacecraft using the Japanese Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer instrument, aka Aster.  The global digital elevation model for Earth was developed using approximately 1.3 million distinct stereo-pair images.

Previously, the most comprehensive mapping of the earth’s topopgraphy was accomplished through the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission which produced data covering 80 percent of the earth’s surface. 

The new Aster data covers the earth from 83 degrees north latitude and 83 degrees south and produces new data for mostly desert and steep terrain areas not covered previously. 

• For visualizations of the new Aster topographic data, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/20090629.html .
• The Aster digital elevation model can be accessed from NASA Earthdata and Japan Space Systems.

Related

• Open Topography: A Spatial Data Infrastructure for Topographic Data
• Version 3 of the ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model Released
• FABDEM: 30 Meter Resolution Bare Earth DEM from Fathom
• Find Open Sources of Elevation Data With OpenTopography