TOWARDS AN URBAN DEM GENERATION WITH SATELLITE SAR INTERFEROMETRY

This paper analyzes the potentials offered by the TanDEM-X mission for the generation of urban DEMs. Operationally acquired urban Raw DEMs are validated using as reference a LiDAR DEM. The approach used for the validation is application-oriented as a sub-product is a derivation of a urban volume map. The mean buildings absolute height error is found to be below 5 meters. Neglecting the buildings geolocation errors, this value drops below 60 centimeters. Nevertheless, the operational municipal mapping is limited to the standard resolution of 12 meters. The limitation is attenuated with the use of high resolution spotlight data. High-resolution raw DEMs over Las Vegas and Berlin are first analyzed. Some modifications to the interferometric processing chain necessary to produce high quality DEMs are studied. The obtained results open a new perspective to the urban DEM generation with satellite SAR interferometry.