How complementary are SRTM-X and -C band digital elevation models?

Two different digital elevation models (DEM) were derived during the 2000 Shuttle Radar Topography Mission from C- and X-band interferometric radar data. While these two DEMs share several of their properties, they were processed independently. Here, we investigate what can be gained by merging the two DEMs into a single composite DEM for four different test areas. Based on an analysis of the relative differences and the deviations from an absolute reference in one test area, we propose an algorithm for combining the two DEMs optimally. We then compare the composite DEM with both individual DEMs and with a reference of a large number of precise GPS profiles in one test area in southern Germany. We find that in our test areas, the area of missing values is reduced significantly in the composite DEM. Even compared with the more complete C-band DEM, the number of void pixels can be reduced by 22 percent to 53 percent. Also, outlier values resulting from errors in the interferometric phase unwrapping can often be identified and removed in the merging. The deviations of both C- and X-band DEMs from the GPS reference are very similar and well within the accuracy specifications of the global data set. The standard deviation of the difference between the composite DEM and the reference is about 14 percent below that of the original values. Depending on the requirements for completeness and accuracy, merging the two SRTM elevation data sets may provide an important improvement above either of the original DEMs.