Digital Terrain Elevation Data File Formation System

Abstract

Topographic data are vital for many scientific, technical, and other applications and are often used in preparing visualization tools such as perspective or stereoscopic views of terrain. Topographic maps have contours representing specific elevation values. The contours are typically spaced in even increments of elevation. This "contour" interval helps to determine the vertical resolution of the contour map. Topographic maps often have point elevations, such as at airports, on mountain peaks, for typical surface elevations of lakes, or at other landmarks. Other implicit topographic information may include graphical sketches of terrain. Now that we are entering the digital age, one may ask "What are digital topographic data, and how should they be prepared and used to draw digital topographic maps?" DTED File Formation System is an effort made to provide a foundation to answer such question.