Accuracy of the TanDEM-X digital elevation model for coastal geomorphological studies in Patagonia (South Argentina)

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the usefulness of TanDEM-X DEM (digital elevation model) for remote geomorphological analysis in Argentinian Patagonia. The use of a DEM with appropriate resolution and coverage might be very helpful and advantageous in vast and hardly accessible areas. TanDEM-X DEM could represent an unprecedented opportunity to identify geomorphological features because of its global coverage, ~12 m spatial resolution and low cost. In this regard, we assessed the vertical accuracy of TanDEM-X DEM through comparison with Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) datasets collected in two areas of the Patagonia Region during a field survey; we then investigated different types of landforms by creating the elevation profiles. The comparison indicates a high agreement between TanDEM-X DEM and reference values, with a mean absolute vertical error (MAE) of 0.53 m, and a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.73 m. The results of landform analysis show an appropriate spatial resolution to detect different features such as beach ridges, which are impossible to delineate with other lower resolution DEMs. For these reasons, TanDEM-X DEM constitutes a useful tool for detailed geomorphological analyses in Argentinian Patagonia.