Ultra-High-Resolution 1 m/pixel CaSSIS DTM Using Super-Resolution Restoration and Shape-from-Shading: Demonstration over Oxia Planum on Mars

• Main Authors: Yu Tao, Sylvain Douté, Jan-Peter Muller, Susan J. Conway, Nicolas Thomas, Gabriele Cremonese
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-06-01
• Series: Remote Sensing
• Subjects: TGO; CaSSIS; Mars; DTM; 3D reconstruction; 3D mapping
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/13/11/2185

We introduce a novel ultra-high-resolution Digital Terrain Model (DTM) processing system using a combination of photogrammetric 3D reconstruction, image co-registration, image super-resolution restoration, shape-from-shading DTM refinement, and 3D co-alignment methods. Technical details of the method are described, and results are demonstrated using a 4 m/pixel Trace Gas Orbiter Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS) panchromatic image and an overlapping 6 m/pixel Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Context Camera (CTX) stereo pair to produce a 1 m/pixel CaSSIS Super-Resolution Restoration (SRR) DTM for different areas over Oxia Planum on Mars—the future ESA ExoMars 2022 Rosalind Franklin rover’s landing site. Quantitative assessments are made using profile measurements and the counting of resolvable craters, in comparison with the publicly available 1 m/pixel High-Resolution Imaging Experiment (HiRISE) DTM. These assessments demonstrate that the final resultant 1 m/pixel CaSSIS DTM from the proposed processing system has achieved comparable and sometimes more detailed 3D reconstruction compared to the overlapping HiRISE DTM.