A digital map of the elevation of an area on the earth. The data are either collected by a private party or purchased from an organization such as the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) that has already undertaken the exploration of the area. Digital elevation models are gray scale images wherein the pixel values are actually elevation numbers. The pixels are also coordinated to world space (longitude and latitude), and each pixel represents some variable amount of that space (foot, meter, mile, etc.) depending on the purpose of the model and land area involved. See remote sensing and GIS glossary.
Sample Digital Elevation Model Rendering
This scene was rendered from a USGS digital elevation model of the Grand Canyon by the RiverTools application from Rivix, LLC, Broomfield, CO (www.rivix.com). RiverTools was written in IDL, a programming language from Research Systems, Inc. that is specialized for image processing and visualization. The black area is the Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon. The red is the immediate surrounding riverbank. (Image courtesy of Research Systems, Inc. and Rivix, LLC.)
Sample Digital Elevation Model Rendering
This scene was rendered from a USGS digital elevation model of the Grand Canyon by the RiverTools application from Rivix, LLC, Broomfield, CO (www.rivix.com). RiverTools was written in IDL, a programming language from Research Systems, Inc. that is specialized for image processing and visualization. The black area is the Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon. The red is the immediate surrounding riverbank. (Image courtesy of Research Systems, Inc. and Rivix, LLC.)
 | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2009 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
Additional Resources
- The marketing myth of "free" social media
- Marketers and PR people are all over Twitter, FaceBook, etc. They love "social media" because they can get past the "gate keepers" in traditional media. And there have been several instances where they've managed to promote their clients at seemingly little or no cost. ...
- Blog posts 2009-06-13
- Roam Earth 3D 5.0 (Windows)
- Roam Earth 3D combines global satellite imagery and elevation data to bring you a vivid view of the planet earth. You will roam a continuous true color image of the world at 4km ground resolution, and view cursor point longitude, latitude and altitude data (GLOBE Digital Elevation Model, 1m vertical...
- Software downloads 2009-06-04
- D# - Delaunay triangulator for .NET 1.0.0.0 (Windows)
- Main feature of D# is a fast O(n*logn) randomized incremental 2d Delaunay triangulation algorithm written in C# enabling you to triangulate even very large projectable point sets in almost no time. Projectable point sets occur - for example - in a Digital Terrain Model or a Digital Elevation Model. D#...
- Software downloads 2009-03-07
- Gamers see gain and pain from Microsoft Vista
- Gamers see gain and pain from Microsoft VistaDoes the 'wet blanket' cover MS too?"...every time a user downloads a game, Vista warns that it could be harmful."I haven't used Vista yet, but let me take a wild guess: When you download Microsoft software, it doesn't warn you.Privledge ElevationIf installing the...
- Discussion threads 2007-01-25
- MacDEM 1.10 (Mac)
- MacDEM is an application to view and edit digital elevation model DEM files.Merge DEM files togetherResample and crop DEMsDisplay DEMs in shaded relief, with user-definable color mapsExport shaded relief images to PICT, TARGA, and TIFF formatsExport elevation data to USGS ASCII, binary, PGM (e.g. for Bryce), 16-bit Photoshop, and POV-RayWrite...
- Software downloads 2006-07-16
- Attack code out for Apple flaw
- Attack code out for Apple flawDisgusting! I HATE HIM!!![i]The exploit was created by Kevin Finisterre, a security researcher at Digital Munition. Earlier this year, Finisterre created the Inqtana worm, which targets Mac OS X and spreads using an 8-month-old vulnerability in Apple's Bluetooth software. His actions are in part to...
- Discussion threads 2006-06-29
- Is the Earth elastic?
- Scientists from Brazil and the U.S. think so. In a surprising discovery, they've found that a GPS station in Manaus, near the center of the Amazon River basin, showed that the Earth level was going up and down by almost 3 inches (75 mm) every year with the seasonal floods...
- Blog posts 2005-10-05
- Microsoft unveils new antipiracy tools
- Microsoft unveils new antipiracy toolsHee Hawww!iTune + iPod is the way to go. MS is just too embarrassed to admit it. If I wanted subscription, I'd get myself a $10 FM radio.Not "MP3 player", "WMA Player"According to that previous story Janus is not for playing music on 'MP3' players its...
- Discussion threads 2004-05-02
- GenesisII 4.0 (Windows)
- GenesisII generates photo-realistic and schematic images of landscapes from geographic data. In addition to rendering capabilities, GenesisII incorporates a wide range of tools to support landscape modeling and related tasks, such as VRML modeling and terrain editing. GenesisII describes a landscape surface using a landscape grid of heights that can...
- Software downloads 2003-03-18
- Fly! 1.01.87 (Mac)
- FLY! is a ground-breaking, general aviation simulation, featuring a global flight area, worldwide digital elevation terrain model, and true satellite terrain imagery. FLY! features ultra-realistic cockpit and avionics systems, detailed to each aircraft's original configuration, as well as interactive air traffic control ATC including full voice support, global positioning system...
- Software downloads 2000-04-07
Neighboring Terms
Premier Vendor Content Whitepapers, webcasts & resources from our Power Center Sponsors
SmartPlanet
- Thought-provoking progressive ideas on diverse topics that intersect with technology, business, and life, and matter to the world at large. Visit SmartPlanet
- More from IBM
-
- Can your business work smarter? Learn more about Lotus Symphony
- Learn how to work smarter and optimize cost using the IBM Smart SOA approach Download the eBook
- Smarter ways to make smarter products Read the brief from IBM
