Assessment of C-band SRTM DEM in a dense equatorial forest zone

A Digital Elevation Model issued from the SRTM mission was assessed on a study area located in a dense equatorial forest setting in French Guiana. The SRTM DEM defined on a 90-m grid was compared to three check sources: (1) airborne laser altimeter data, (2) an accurate heliborne DEM, and (3) spot heights. The paper also includes a comparison with a radargrammetric RADARSAT DEM. The results show that the accuracy of the SRTM DEM is about 10 m (standard deviation of errors). For a given slope aspect, the absolute value and the standard deviation of elevation errors increase almost linearly with the slope value. The slope aspect has a major influence on the sign of the elevation error: elevations are underestimated for slope facing SRTM signal (foreslopes, northwest), and conversely in the opposite direction (backslopes, southeast). Maximum errors are observed along these two directions.