OpenTopography for Developers

OpenTopography API

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

  • 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 300 calls per 24 hours. For users who require higher rates of data access, we offer an Enterprise API key. Please email [email protected] for more information and pricing.
    • 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.
    • This API service relies on the USGS National Map. OpenTopography does not control the availability or performance of this service.

Catalogue Service for the Web

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