Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) Data for Africa

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  • HIRANO Akira
    Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Tsukuba
  • SUN Xiaogang
    Graduate School of Asian and African Studies, Kyoto University
  • SATO Shun
    Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Tsukuba

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • シャトル・レーダー・トポグラフィー・ミッション (SRTM) アフリカデータ
  • シャトル・レーダー・トポグラフィー・ミッション(SRTM)アフリカデータ--北ケニア半乾燥地域の諸研究への応用
  • シャトル レーダー トポグラフィー ミッション SRTM アフリカデータ キタケニア ハンカンソウ チイキ ノ ショ ケンキュウ エ ノ オウヨウ
  • Potential Applications to Research in the Semi-arid Regions of Northern Kenya
  • 北ケニア半乾燥地域の諸研究への応用

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Abstract

A new breed of digital topographic data for the entire world is now becoming available to the public from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). The purpose of this study is to provide a brief introduction of the SRTM, and to advocate its potential use in the semi-arid regions of northern Kenya. The SRTM is a cooperative project between the U. S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) of the U. S. Department of Defense. The mission was designed to produce a seamless, high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM) of the Earth's land surface between approximately 60 degrees north and 56 degrees south latitude. DEMs with 3-arc second (90 meters) spacing for the entire world, outside the U. S., are to be provided. The planned horizontal and vertical accuracy of the data are approximately 20 meters and 15 meters, respectively. As of October 2004, preliminary data for the whole African continent are readily available and the final products are on their way. Accurate, reliable and up-to-date topographic data are essential for sound spatial decision support. Until now, such data with an adequate scale and currency have not been available for much of the semi-arid regions of northern Kenya. Results from the assessment of the preliminary data indicate that these new topographic data would have potential applications in topographic mapping, geospatial data visualization, environmental modeling, and the study of the nomads in North Kenya.

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