ALOS World 3D - 30m (AW3D30) is a global digital surface
model (DSM) dataset with a horizontal resolution of approximately
30 meters (1 arcsec mesh). The dataset is based on the DSM dataset
(5-meter mesh version) of the World 3D Topographic Data.
More details are available in the dataset documentation.
Version 3.2, released in January 2021, is an improved version created by reconsidering
the format in the high latitude area, auxiliary data, and processing method. Different pixel
spacing for each latitude zone was adopted at high latitude area. Coastline data, which is one
of the auxiliary datasets, was changed, and new supplementary data was used. In addition, as a
source data for Japan, AW3D version 3 was also used. Furthermore, the method of detecting
anomalous values in the process was improved.
The AW3D DSM elevation is calculated by an image matching process
that uses a stereo pair of optical images. Clouds, snow, and ice are
automatically identified during processing and applied the
mask information. However, mismatched points sometimes
remain especially surrounding (or at the edges of) clouds, snow,
and ice areas, which cause some height errors in the final DSM.
Here are some example areas with data values outside of valid elevation
range. Impossibly low negative values are concentrated in Antarctica around
(-63.77, -61.660), (-77.22, -150.27), and (-73.29, 168.14); in Indonesia
around (-5.36, 134.55); in Brazil around (-1.667113844, -50.6269684);
and in Peru around (-10.45048137, -75.39459876) with approximate values of
-1013, -998, -635, and -610 respectively. Impossibly high
positive values are found in several locations in the Arctic around
(79.83, -77.67) and (69.54, -75.42); in Fiji around (-16.58, 179.44)
and (-18.96, 178.39); and in Nepal around (28.50, 84.56) with
approximate values of 15369, 15213, and 10900 respectively.
Bands
Pixel Size 30 meters
Bands
Name
Min
Max
Pixel Size
Description
DSM
-433*
8768*
meters
Height above sea level. Signed 16 bits.
Elevation (in meter) converted from the ellipsoidal height based on ITRF97
and GRS80, using EGM96†1 geoid model.
STK
1*
54*
meters
Stacking number of the scene unit DSM used in producing
DSM. The band is derived by resampling the stacking number for
5m resolution DSM to 30m resolution.
MSK
meters
8-bit mask for the band.
Bitmask for MSK
Bits 0-7: Generated from resampled DSM.
0: Valid
1: Cloud and snow mask (invalid).
2: Land water and low correlation mask (valid).
3: Sea mask (valid).
4: Void filled with GSI DTM (valid).
8: Void filled with Shuttle Radar Topography Mission
SRTM-1 Version 3 (valid).
12: Void filled with PRISM DSM (valid).
16: Void filled with ViewFinder Panoramas DEM (valid).
24: Void filled with ASTER GDEM v2 (valid).
28: Void filled with ArcticDEM v2 (valid).
32: Void filled with TanDEM-X 90m DEM (valid).
36: Void filled with ArcticDEM v3 (valid).
40: Void filled with ASTER GDEM v3 (valid).
44: Void filled with REMA v1.1 (valid).
252: Void filled with applied IDW method (gdal_fillnodata) (valid)
T. Tadono, H. Ishida, F. Oda, S. Naito, K. Minakawa, H. Iwamoto
Precise Global DEM Generation By ALOS PRISM, ISPRS Annals of
the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences,
Vol.II-4, pp.71-76, 2014. PDF file
J. Takaku, T. Tadono, K. Tsutsui : Generation of High Resolution
Global DSM from ALOS PRISM, The International Archives of the Photogrammetry,
Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Vol. XL-4, pp.243-248,
ISPRS, 2014. PDF file
J. Takaku, T. Tadono, K. Tsutsui, M. Ichikawa : Validation of
'AW3D' Global DSM Generated from ALOS PRISM, ISPRS
Annals of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information
Sciences, Vol.III-4, pp.25-31, 2016. PDF file
T. Tadono, H. Nagai, H. Ishida, F. Oda, S. Naito, K. Minakawa,
H. Iwamoto : Initial Validation of the 30 m-mesh Global Digital
Surface Model Generated by ALOS PRISM, The International Archives
of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences,
ISPRS, Vol. XLI-B4, pp.157-162, 2016. PDF file
ALOS World 3D - 30m (AW3D30) is a global digital surface model (DSM) dataset with a horizontal resolution of approximately 30 meters (1 arcsec mesh). The dataset is based on the DSM dataset (5-meter mesh version) of the World 3D Topographic Data. More details are available in the dataset documentation. …
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Missing the information I need","missingTheInformationINeed","thumb-down"],["Too complicated / too many steps","tooComplicatedTooManySteps","thumb-down"],["Out of date","outOfDate","thumb-down"],["Samples / code issue","samplesCodeIssue","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],[],[[["\u003cp\u003eAW3D30 is a global digital surface model (DSM) dataset with approximately 30-meter resolution, representing height above sea level.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eThis version 3.2 dataset, based on ALOS PRISM data, offers improved accuracy and coverage, especially in high latitude areas.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eIt includes a DSM band, a stacking number band indicating the number of scenes used, and a mask band identifying data quality and void-filling methods.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eWhile generally accurate, some areas may contain erroneous elevation values, particularly near clouds, snow, ice, or coastlines.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eUsers should be aware of the specific terms of use and citations associated with this dataset provided by JAXA.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],["The JAXA ALOS World 3D - 30m (AW3D30) version 3.2 dataset, provided by JAXA, offers a global digital surface model (DSM) with 30-meter resolution, spanning from January 24, 2006, to May 12, 2011. It uses an improved processing method and auxiliary data for generating elevation data. Users can access the dataset on Google Earth Engine using `ee.ImageCollection(\"JAXA/ALOS/AW3D30/V3_2\")`. The dataset includes bands for DSM, stacking number, and mask information, and also provides a code example for slope calculation.\n"],null,["**Caution:** This dataset has been superseded by [JAXA/ALOS/AW3D30/V4_1](/earth-engine/datasets/catalog/JAXA_ALOS_AW3D30_V4_1). \n\nDataset Availability\n: 2006-01-24T00:00:00Z--2011-05-12T00:00:00Z\n\nDataset Provider\n:\n\n\n [JAXA Earth Observation Research Center](https://www.eorc.jaxa.jp/ALOS/en/dataset/aw3d30/aw3d30_e.htm)\n\nTags\n:\n alos \n dem \n elevation \n elevation-topography \n geophysical \n jaxa \ntopography \n\nDescription \nALOS World 3D - 30m (AW3D30) is a global digital surface\nmodel (DSM) dataset with a horizontal resolution of approximately\n30 meters (1 arcsec mesh). The dataset is based on the DSM dataset\n(5-meter mesh version) of the [World 3D Topographic Data](https://www.aw3d.jp/en/).\nMore details are available in the dataset [documentation](https://www.eorc.jaxa.jp/ALOS/en/aw3d30/aw3d30v11_format_e.pdf).\n\nVersion 3.2, released in January 2021, is an improved version created by reconsidering\nthe format in the high latitude area, auxiliary data, and processing method. Different pixel\nspacing for each latitude zone was adopted at high latitude area. Coastline data, which is one\nof the auxiliary datasets, was changed, and new supplementary data was used. In addition, as a\nsource data for Japan, AW3D version 3 was also used. Furthermore, the method of detecting\nanomalous values in the process was improved.\n| **Note:** See the code example for the recommended way of computing slope. Unlike most DEMs in Earth Engine, this is an image collection due to multiple resolutions of source files that make it impossible to mosaic them into a single asset, so the slope computations need a reprojection.\n\nThe AW3D DSM elevation is calculated by an image matching process\nthat uses a stereo pair of optical images. Clouds, snow, and ice are\nautomatically identified during processing and applied the\nmask information. However, mismatched points sometimes\nremain especially surrounding (or at the edges of) clouds, snow,\nand ice areas, which cause some height errors in the final DSM.\n\nHere are some example areas with data values outside of valid elevation\nrange. Impossibly low negative values are concentrated in Antarctica around\n(-63.77, -61.660), (-77.22, -150.27), and (-73.29, 168.14); in Indonesia\naround (-5.36, 134.55); in Brazil around (-1.667113844, -50.6269684);\nand in Peru around (-10.45048137, -75.39459876) with approximate values of\n-1013, -998, -635, and -610 respectively. Impossibly high\npositive values are found in several locations in the Arctic around\n(79.83, -77.67) and (69.54, -75.42); in Fiji around (-16.58, 179.44)\nand (-18.96, 178.39); and in Nepal around (28.50, 84.56) with\napproximate values of 15369, 15213, and 10900 respectively.\n\nBands\n\n\n**Pixel Size**\n\n30 meters\n\n**Bands**\n\n| Name | Min | Max | Description |\n|-------|--------|--------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|\n| `DSM` | -433\\* | 8768\\* | Height above sea level. Signed 16 bits. Elevation (in meter) converted from the ellipsoidal height based on ITRF97 and GRS80, using EGM96†1 geoid model. |\n| `STK` | 1\\* | 54\\* | Stacking number of the scene unit DSM used in producing DSM. The band is derived by resampling the stacking number for 5m resolution DSM to 30m resolution. |\n| `MSK` | | | 8-bit mask for the band. |\n| Bitmask for MSK - Bits 0-7: Generated from resampled DSM. - 0: Valid - 1: Cloud and snow mask (invalid). - 2: Land water and low correlation mask (valid). - 3: Sea mask (valid). - 4: Void filled with GSI DTM (valid). - 8: Void filled with Shuttle Radar Topography Mission SRTM-1 Version 3 (valid). - 12: Void filled with PRISM DSM (valid). - 16: Void filled with ViewFinder Panoramas DEM (valid). - 24: Void filled with ASTER GDEM v2 (valid). - 28: Void filled with ArcticDEM v2 (valid). - 32: Void filled with TanDEM-X 90m DEM (valid). - 36: Void filled with ArcticDEM v3 (valid). - 40: Void filled with ASTER GDEM v3 (valid). - 44: Void filled with REMA v1.1 (valid). - 252: Void filled with applied IDW method (gdal_fillnodata) (valid) ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||\n\n\\* estimated min or max value\n\nTerms of Use\n\n**Terms of Use**\n\nThis dataset is available to use with no charge under\nthe conditions specified in the [Terms of use for ALOS Global Digital\nSurface Model](https://earth.jaxa.jp/en/data/policy/).\n\nCitations \nCitations:\n\n-\n\n T. Tadono, H. Ishida, F. Oda, S. Naito, K. Minakawa, H. Iwamoto\n : Precise Global DEM Generation By ALOS PRISM, ISPRS Annals of\n the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences,\n Vol.II-4, pp.71-76, 2014. [PDF file](https://www.isprs-ann-photogramm-remote-sens-spatial-inf-sci.net/II-4/71/2014/isprsannals-II-4-71-2014.pdf)\n- J. Takaku, T. Tadono, K. Tsutsui : Generation of High Resolution\n Global DSM from ALOS PRISM, The International Archives of the Photogrammetry,\n Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Vol. XL-4, pp.243-248,\n ISPRS, 2014. [PDF file](https://www.int-arch-photogramm-remote-sens-spatial-inf-sci.net/XL-4/243/2014/isprsarchives-XL-4-243-2014.pdf)\n- J. Takaku, T. Tadono, K. Tsutsui, M. Ichikawa : Validation of\n 'AW3D' Global DSM Generated from ALOS PRISM, ISPRS\n Annals of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information\n Sciences, Vol.III-4, pp.25-31, 2016. [PDF file](https://www.isprs-ann-photogramm-remote-sens-spatial-inf-sci.net/III-4/25/2016/isprs-annals-III-4-25-2016.pdf)\n- T. Tadono, H. Nagai, H. Ishida, F. Oda, S. Naito, K. Minakawa,\n H. Iwamoto : Initial Validation of the 30 m-mesh Global Digital\n Surface Model Generated by ALOS PRISM, The International Archives\n of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences,\n ISPRS, Vol. XLI-B4, pp.157-162, 2016. [PDF file](https://www.int-arch-photogramm-remote-sens-spatial-inf-sci.net/XLI-B4/157/2016/isprs-archives-XLI-B4-157-2016.pdf)\n\nExplore with Earth Engine **Important:** Earth Engine is a platform for petabyte-scale scientific analysis and visualization of geospatial datasets, both for public benefit and for business and government users. Earth Engine is free to use for research, education, and nonprofit use. To get started, please [register for Earth Engine access.](https://console.cloud.google.com/earth-engine)\n\nCode Editor (JavaScript) \n\n```javascript\nvar dataset = ee.ImageCollection('JAXA/ALOS/AW3D30/V3_2');\nvar elevation = dataset.select('DSM');\nvar elevationVis = {\n min: 0,\n max: 5000,\n palette: ['0000ff', '00ffff', 'ffff00', 'ff0000', 'ffffff']\n};\nMap.setCenter(138.73, 35.36, 11);\nMap.addLayer(elevation, elevationVis, 'Elevation');\n\n// Reproject an image mosaic using a projection from one of the image tiles,\n// rather than using the default projection returned by .mosaic().\nvar proj = elevation.first().select(0).projection();\nvar slopeReprojected = ee.Terrain.slope(elevation.mosaic()\n .setDefaultProjection(proj));\nMap.addLayer(slopeReprojected, {min: 0, max: 45}, 'Slope');\n```\n[Open in Code Editor](https://code.earthengine.google.com/?scriptPath=Examples:Datasets/JAXA/JAXA_ALOS_AW3D30_V3_2) \n[ALOS DSM: Global 30m v3.2 \\[deprecated\\]](/earth-engine/datasets/catalog/JAXA_ALOS_AW3D30_V3_2) \nALOS World 3D - 30m (AW3D30) is a global digital surface model (DSM) dataset with a horizontal resolution of approximately 30 meters (1 arcsec mesh). The dataset is based on the DSM dataset (5-meter mesh version) of the World 3D Topographic Data. More details are available in the dataset documentation. ... \nJAXA/ALOS/AW3D30/V3_2, alos,dem,elevation,elevation-topography,geophysical,jaxa,topography \n2006-01-24T00:00:00Z/2011-05-12T00:00:00Z \n-90 -180 90 180 \nGoogle Earth Engine \nhttps://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets\n\n- [](https://doi.org/https://www.eorc.jaxa.jp/ALOS/en/dataset/aw3d30/aw3d30_e.htm)\n- [](https://doi.org/https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets/catalog/JAXA_ALOS_AW3D30_V3_2)"]]
