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The TanDEM-X mission will derive a global digital elevation model (DEM) with satellite SAR interferometry. Height references play an important role to ensure the required height accuracy of 10 m absolute and 2 m relative for 90% of the data. In this paper the main height reference data sets ICESat (for DEM calibration), SRTM (for phase unwrapping) and kinematic GPS-Tracks (KGPS - for DEM verification) are analyzed regarding to their accuracy. For the ICESat data a reliable quality measure is developed. For SRTM an improved version adjusted to reliable ICESat data is presented and a concept for collecting and evaluating decimeter-precise kinematic GPS tracks is proposed.
Huber et al. (Thu,) studied this question.