Accuracy assessment of SRTM V4.1 and ASTER GDEM V2 in high-altitude mountainous areas: A case study in Yulong Snow Mountain, China

As a significant digital representation of terrain surface, varieties of DEM products have been available to the public. The most widely used global DEM products are SRTM and ASTER GDEM. Given the comparable horizontal resolution and vertical error, accuracy validation and comparison have been of interest since the release, however, usually on a wide range. In this paper, we presented the results of accuracy assessment for ASTER GDEM v2 and SRTM v4.1 in Yulong Mountain, Yunnan province, China. Topographic map was chosen as the benchmark. The results and discussions were centered on the relationship between error distribution in elevation and mountainous hypsography based on data causes. The results revealed their levels of reliability for applied glaciology and hydrology in the typical snow mountain area.