A Review Of Upscaling Algorithms For Flow Direction Rasters
https://doi.org/10.24057/2071-9388-2025-3737
Abstract
Modern Earth system models and global hydrological models require input data in the form of flow direction grids (rasters) with a relatively low resolution. Typical resolution for these models is about 0.5–1°. At high resolution, up to 1 km cell size, flow direction grids are usually generated from digital elevation models (DEMs), but for coarse-resolution grids, more specialized approaches need to be used. In this paper we review upscaling methods for flow direction grids, including grid-based flow tracing, catchment area aggregation and vector network processing. We also indicate methods that have been used to create publicly available datasets in global coverage (DRT and IHU), and provide links to these datasets. The paper also considers methods for estimating the result of flow direction generation on coarse-resolution grids, as well as the results of applying these estimates to existing methods. It is shown that the task of estimating the result requires further development, including the development of new estimation methods and comparative comparison of the most modern upscaling approaches.
Supporting agencies: The work is supported by the grant of the Russian Science Foundation, project no. 23-27-00232.
About the Authors
Mikhail V. Uzhegov
Department of Cartography and Geoinformatics, Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Leninskie Gory 1, Moscow, 119991
Andrey L. Entin
Department of Cartography and Geoinformatics, Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Leninskie Gory 1, Moscow, 119991
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Review
For citations:
Uzhegov M.V., Entin A.L. A Review Of Upscaling Algorithms For Flow Direction Rasters. GEOGRAPHY, ENVIRONMENT, SUSTAINABILITY. 2025;18(1):89-96. https://doi.org/10.24057/2071-9388-2025-3737
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