MERIT DEM
Use MERIT DEM for hydrologically conditioned 90m elevation data with SRTM stripe and bias errors removed, improving flow routing and terrain analysis.
Format
GeoTIFF
Geometry
Raster DEM
Coverage
Global land (90°N–60°S)
Resolution
90 meters (3 arc-second)
About this dataset
MERIT (Multi-Error-Removed Improved-Terrain) DEM at 90-meter resolution with removed SRTM sensor errors, stripes, and void areas for improved hydrological modeling.
MERIT DEM is a 90-meter global DEM that removes major error components from SRTM3 v2.1 including stripe noise, absolute bias, speckle noise, and tree height bias. The result is a significantly improved elevation surface for hydrological applications, particularly in flat terrain where SRTM errors distort drainage patterns. Coverage spans 90°N to 60°S.
How to download
- 1 Open the MERIT DEM project page and review the documentation and tile index map.
- 2 Identify the 30° x 30° or 1° x 1° tiles covering your study area from the tile grid.
- 3 Download the desired GeoTIFF tiles directly from the data directory — no registration is needed.
- 4 Process the error-removed DEM in QGIS or GDAL; the improved surface is especially useful for hydrological flattening and flow routing.
FAQ
What errors does MERIT DEM remove from SRTM?
MERIT DEM removes stripe noise from the SRTM sensor, absolute height bias, speckle noise, and tree height bias from the original SRTM3 v2.1 data, resulting in a surface better suited for hydrological applications.
Is MERIT DEM suitable for mountainous terrain?
MERIT DEM performs best in low-relief and flat terrain where SRTM stripe and bias errors most affect hydrological modeling. In steep terrain, the improvement over raw SRTM is smaller.