On the quantification of surface changes using grid-based digital elevation models (DEMs)

Abstract

This paper discusses the quantification of vertical surface displacements by means of grid-based digital elevation models (DEMs). The surface changes are quantified by comparing altitude and different topographic parameters, which have a geomorphic significance with respect to surface changes. This paper describes the choice of different spatial calculation techniques, considering DEM accuracy and the propagation of error for the different topographic parameters involved. The techniques are illustrated on two grid-based DEMs from Finsterwalderbreen, a 35 km2 sized valley glacier on south-western Spitzbergen, Norwegian High Arctic.