Comparative investigation of parallel spatial interpolation algorithms for building large-scale digital elevation models

The building of large-scale Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) using various interpolation algorithms is one of the key issues in geographic information science. Different choices of interpolation algorithms may trigger significant differences in interpolation accuracy and computational efficiency, and a proper interpolation algorithm needs to be carefully used based on the specific characteristics of the scene of interpolation. In this paper, we comparatively investigate the performance of parallel Radial Basis Function (RBF)-based, Moving Least Square (MLS)-based, and Shepard’s interpolation algorithms for building DEMs by evaluating the influence of terrain type, raw data density, and distribution patterns on the interpolation accuracy and computational efficiency. The drawn conclusions may help select a suitable interpolation algorithm in a specific scene to build large-scale DEMs.