A Comparison of Surface Slopes Extracted from ICESat Waveform Data and High Resolution DEM

Abstract

Surface slope is an important topographic variable, accurate surface slope can support many research appliacations. Large footprint full waveform data has been used to estimate the surface slope and performes well. In this paper, surface slope within laser footprint is calculated using the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) full waveform data and a high resolution Digital Elevation Model (REMA, the Reference Elevation Model of Antarctica). A comparison is done between two extracted surface slopes, the results show that the slopes extracted from full waveform data are close to slopes extracted from DEM, and the width of waveform can be used to extract surface slope in moderately sloping surface.