A National Digital Elevation Model for Resource and Environmental Management

Abstract

The third dimension, elevation, is a vital component of Australiaís National Spatial Data Infrastructure. Elevation information in an easily accessible digital form is necessary for efficient and effective management of natural resources and the environment. Elevation is needed for analysis and modelling in areas as diverse as climate, biodiversity, salinisation, the rectification of satellite imagery, hydrology, telecommunications, infrastructure planning, and geology and geophysics. The need for such information on a regional and national basis has been the catalyst for the production of a national gridded digital elevation model using a cell spacing of 9 seconds of latitude and longitude. Production of the recently released GEODATA 9 SECOND DEM was undertaken by the Australian Surveying & Land Information Group, Australian Geological Survey Organisation, Australian Heritage Commission and the Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies at the Australian National University. This paper briefly examines some applications which require detailed elevation data and outlines the production of the GEODATA 9 SECOND DEM of Australia

This paper was originally presented at MAPPING SCIENCES '96, Canberra, September 1996.