Create README.md

README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+---
+tags:
+- earth
+size_categories:
+- 10K<n<100K
+---
+# FABDEM V1.2 STAC Catalog
+
+## Dataset Description
+
+FABDEM (Forest And Buildings removed Copernicus DEM) is a global elevation dataset that provides a comprehensive 30-meter resolution digital elevation model with building and tree height biases systematically removed from the Copernicus GLO 30 Digital Elevation Model (DEM). This enhanced dataset offers more accurate representation of bare-earth topography for hydrological modeling, flood risk assessment, and other geospatial applications where vegetation and built infrastructure can introduce significant elevation errors.
+
+### Dataset Summary
+
+- **Resolution**: 30 meters
+- **Coverage**: Global
+- **Format**: GeoTIFF tiles organized in STAC (SpatioTemporal Asset Catalog) format
+- **Total Items**: 19,013 tiles
+- **Tile Coverage**: Approximately 1° × 1° per tile
+- **Version**: 1.2
+- **Data Type**: Float32 elevation values in meters
+- **Coordinate Reference System**: WGS84 (EPSG:4326)
+
+### Source and Development
+
+This dataset has been developed by the University of Bristol as part of research published in Environmental Research Letters. The methodology removes vegetation and building heights from the original Copernicus DEM using machine learning techniques and auxiliary datasets, resulting in a more accurate representation of underlying terrain elevations.
+
+## Dataset Structure
+
+The catalog is organized hierarchically to facilitate efficient data discovery and access:
+
+```
+fabdem-v12/
+├── catalog.json (root catalog)
+├── tiles/
+|   ├── N00E000-N10E010_FABDEM_V1-2/...
+|   └── ...
+├── stac_catalog/
+│   ├── catalog.json (root catalog)
+|   ├── N01E001_FABDEM_V1-2/...
+|   └── ...
+
+```
+
+Each tile follows the naming convention and covers approximately 1 degree of latitude and longitude, with tiles grouped into 10° × 10° regional folders mirroring the original data distribution structure.
+
+## Key Features
+
+- **STAC Compliance**: Fully compliant with STAC specification for interoperability
+- **On-demand Access**: Eliminates need to download large ZIP archives
+
+## Usage
+
+For detailed usage examples, refer to the included notebook `stac_catalog_query.ipynb`.
+
+## Data Quality and Limitations
+
+- **Accuracy**: Improved accuracy over original Copernicus DEM, particularly in forested and urban areas
+- **Temporal Snapshot**: Represents conditions circa 2020
+- **Processing Artifacts**: Some processing artifacts may remain in complex terrain
+- **Polar Regions**: Coverage limitations in extreme polar regions following Copernicus DEM constraints
+
+## Technical Specifications
+
+
+## Provenance and Attribution
+
+This STAC catalog implementation is inspired by the work at https://github.com/cordmaur/fabdem-brazil-south and provides improved accessibility to the original FABDEM dataset distributed by the University of Bristol.
+
+**Original Data Source**: https://data.bris.ac.uk/data/dataset/s5hqmjcdj8yo2ibzi9b4ew3sn
+
+**Citation**: When using this dataset, please cite the original research paper and acknowledge the data source.
+
+## License and Terms of Use
+
+Please refer to the original data distribution terms at the University of Bristol repository.
+
+## References
+
+Hawker, Laurence, Peter Uhe, Luntadila Paulo, Jeison Sosa, James Savage, Christopher Sampson, and Jeffrey Neal. "A 30 m Global Map of Elevation with Forests and Buildings Removed." *Environmental Research Letters* 17, no. 2 (February 2022): 024016. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac4d4f.
+
+## Contact and Support
+
+For questions about the original dataset methodology and creation, contact the University of Bristol research team. For issues specific to this STAC catalog implementation, please refer to the repository documentation and issue tracker.