OpenTopography for Developers

OpenTopography APIs

OpenTopography's REST API is documented using the OpenAPI specification and available via Swagger for visualizing and testing via the browser.

Global Datasets API

RESTful Web service for accessing the following global DEM datasets: Shuttle Radar Topography Mission GL3 (Global 90m), GL1 (Global 30m), GL1 Ellipsoidal, ALOS World 3D (Global 30m), ALOS World 3D Ellipsoidal, Global Bathymetry and Topography at 15 Arc Sec: SRTM15+ V2.1, NASADEM (NASADEM Global DEM), COP30 (Copernicus Global DSM 30m), COP90 (Copernicus Global DSM 90m), Continental Europe Digital Terrain Model 30m, GEDI L3 (DTM 1000 meter), GEBCOIceTopo (Global Bathymetry 500m), GEBCOSubIceTopo (Global Bathymetry 500m), and Medium Resolution Digital Elevation Model of Canada data.

NOTES:

  • API keys are required for this API. Users can request a free API key via the My Account section of the OpenTopography portal. See this blog post for more information.
  • Requests are limited to 500,000,000 km2 for GEDI L3 (1km resolution), 125,000,000 km2for SRTM15+ V2.1 (15 arc second (450m) resolution) & GEBCOIceTopo and GEBCOSubIceTopo (500m resolution), 4,050,000 km2 for SRTM GL3, COP90 (90m resolution), and 450,000 km2 for all 30m resolution datasets.
  • The free OT API key is rate limited to 200 calls per 24 hours for academics and 50 calls per 24 hours for non-academics. For non-academics, an OpenTopography Plus subscription unlocks higher daily limits. For extremely intensive API use and for integration of the API into commercial software packages, we offer an Enterprise API key. Please email info@opentopography.org for more information and pricing.
  • Users may not share their keys with other users or make their key accessible publicly. Users are also prohibited from embedding keys within an application or service that enables third party users to bypass the one user, one key requirement.
  • The data that are accessed via the API are available under open and permissible licenses. You can find more information about the datasets and their licenses here. Please also refer to the API Agreement in the OpenTopography Terms of Use for additional information about appropriate use of the OT API.
  • If you are interested in integrating the OT API into a commercial software package, per API Agreement in the OpenTopography Terms of Use you will need an Enterprise API key. Please email info@opentopography.org for more information and pricing.

USGS 3DEP Raster API

RESTful Web service for accessing U.S. Geological Survey 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) raster datasets including 1m, 1/3 arc-second (10m), 1 arc-second (30m) Digital Elevation Model.

NOTES:

  • The USGS 3DEP 1m DEM is currently restricted to academic users. Academic users can request access via the OpenTopography portal.
  • Requests are limited to 225,000 km2 for USGS 30m, 25,000 km2 for USGS 10m, 250 km2 for USGS 1m data.
  • The free OT API key is rate limited to 200 calls per 24 hours for academics and 50 calls per 24 hours for non-academics. For non-academics, an OpenTopography Plus subscription unlocks higher daily limits. For extremely intensive API use and for integration of the API into commercial software packages, we offer an Enterprise API key. Please email info@opentopography.org for more information and pricing.
  • Users may not share their keys with other users or make their key accessible publicly. Users are also prohibited from embedding keys within an application or service that enables third party users to bypass the one user, one key requirement.
  • The data that are accessed via the API are available under open and permissible licenses. You can find more information about the datasets and their licenses here. Please also refer to the API Agreement in the OpenTopography Terms of Use for additional information about appropriate use of the OT API.
  • If you are interested in integrating the OT API into a commercial software package, per API Agreement in the OpenTopography Terms of Use you will need an Enterprise API key. Please email info@opentopography.org for more information and pricing.
  • This API service relies on USGS resources. OpenTopography does not control the availability or performance of this service.

Elevation API

Returns elevation data for a specified latitude and longitude, derived from topography datasets hosted by OpenTopography. API also provides option to specify the topography dataset to be used.

NOTES

  • API keys are required for this API. Users can request a free API key via the My Account section of the OpenTopography portal.
  • By default, API uses the COP30 topography dataset. Users have the ability to choose from the following OpenTopography datasets: ArcticDEM10m, ArcticDEM2m, ArcticDEM32m, AW3D30, AW3D30_E, CA_MRDEM, COP30, COP90, EU_DTM, GEBCOIceTopo, GEBCOSubIceTopo, GEDI_L3, GEDTM30, LINZ1m_DSM, LINZ1m_DTM, NASADEM, REMA10m, REMA2m, REMA32m, SRTM15Plus, SRTM_GL1, SRTM_GL1_Ellip, SRTM_GL3, USGS10m, USGS30m.
  • The free OT API key is rate limited to 250 calls per 24 hours for academics and 50 calls per 24 hours for non-academics. For non-academics, an OpenTopography Plus subscription unlocks higher daily limits. For extremely intensive API use and for integration of the API into commercial software packages, we offer an Enterprise API key. Please email info@opentopography.org for more information and pricing.

OpenTopography Data Catalog API

Bounding box-based catalog search of topography datasets hosted by OpenTopography

SpatioTemporal Asset Catalog (STAC) Catalog

OpenTopography Raster DEM Data Catalog

STAC catalog of OpenTopography hosted raster topography (digital elevation model) datasets. STAC metadata file is available here. STAC browser is here.

Example notebooks for accessing OpenTopography's SpatioTemporal Asset Catalog (STAC) can be found via our GitHub repository

Catalogue Service for the Web (CSW)

CSW (Catalogue Service for the Web) is an OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium) specification that defines common interfaces to discover, browse, and query metadata about data and services. OpenTopography provides access to its data catalog via the CSW standard. Any client supporting the CSW standard can integrate the OpenTopography CSW endpoint.

OpenTopography CSW OpenTopography's CSW endpoints are implemented using the open source Esri Geoportal Server with support for the OGC CS-W 2.0.2 standard. It supports REST, GeoRSS, OpenSearch, CSW, ATOM, GeoJSON, KML, and HTML to expose content from the catalog service to external clients.

GetCapabilities The GetCapabilities operation provides CSW clients with service metadata about the CSW service as an XML document.

Example: HTTP GET: https://portal.opentopography.org/geoportal/csw/discovery?Request=GetCapabilities&Service=CSW&Version=2.0.2

GetRecordById Example: https://portal.opentopography.org/geoportal/csw?REQUEST=GetRecordById&service=CSW&version=2.0.2&Id={5D08C4EB-45FA-4FCB-A07A-E1B5E8B61AB3}

For more supported operations please follow the sample requests shown on https://github.com/Esri/geoportal-server/wiki/Catalog-Service and geoportal server as a Broker help document for the different service protocols supported using the base URL https://portal.opentopography.org/geoportal/csw

OpenTopography Open Source Software

OpenTopography GitHubAll open source software algorithms and tools developed by OpenTopography are distributed via our GitHub. OpenTopography’s GitHub is also available to host software developed by our partners and the Earth science user community.

Related services

NASA ICESat-2 data products via OpenAltimetry

Access NASA ICESat-2 data products including global geolocated photon data (ATL03), Land Ice Height data (ATL06), Sea Ice Height data (ATL07), Land and Vegetation Height data (ATL08), Sea Ice Freeboard data (ATL10), Ocean Surface Height data (ATL12) and Inland Water Surface Height data (ATL13) via openaltimetry.earthdatacloud.nasa.gov.

The National Map - Elevation Point Query Service

The Elevation Point Query Service returns the elevation in international feet or meters for a specific latitude/longitude (NAD 1983) point from the USGS 3DEP 1/3 arc-second layer hosted at the NGTOC: USGS Elevation Point Query Service

RESTful Web service for Global Multi-Resolution Topography (GMRT) synthesis data access

The Global Multi-Resolution Topography (GMRT) Synthesis is a multi-resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM) maintained in three projections and managed with a scalable global architecture that offers infrastructure for accessing the DEM as grids, images, points and profiles. More information on the GMRT web service is available at https://www.gmrt.org/services/index.php