The significance of data collection parameters when utilizing radar and digital terrain models to locate terrain features

The combination of cartographic and hypsographic data with radar data can generate the location of terrain features in the ground reference system. The significance of selected data collection parameters used in this task is investigated in three phases: (1) the development of deterministic radar models from given digital terrain models and varying radar parameters, (2) the perturbation of the terrain feature coordinates which result from errors in radar position, radar orientation, range, and resolution, and (3) a factorial analysis of the terrain feature errors to establish the significance of the main fixed factors and their interactions. The main factors are azimuth from radar to terrain feature, range, resolution, terrain height and coordinate. The results indicate that the order of greatest to least importance for the factors is coordinate, range, resolution, terrain height and azimuth.