Remotely sensed shuttle’s radar digital elevation model (DEM)‎ for producing GIS 3D visual map of Mosul

Abstract EN

Most GIS software is capable of handling topographic data, usually as a digital elevation model (DEM), and of generating isometric views and contour maps.

Many products also integrate scene generation systems for the 3D visualization of data.

Yet, although Z coordinate data is now easily recorded or readily available for surface features, this third dimensional aspect of a GIS dataset is generally disregarded.

The NASA/NIMA Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) collected Radar data which has been used to generate a near-global topography data product for latitudes smaller than 60 degrees.

(SRTM) data is a new elevation dataset that is available for 80 percent of Earth’s surface.

It is being developed and distributed collaboratively by NASA, USGS, and NGA (National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency).

The data were captured using radar interferometers mounted on the Space Shuttle Endeavor during a 14 day mission in February 2000.