Surface Data: Best Surface Datasets & Databases

What is Surface Data?

Also known as terrain data, surface data in environmental data which refers to a series of points that are representative of high and low extremes in topographic features, such as streams, valleys, bridges, and other earth surface phenomena. Learn more

Recommended Surface Data Products

7 Results

FinPricing FX Implied Volatility Surface Data - Forex Data (Global)

Those data are essential to price and risk-manage FX options. ... A volatility surface is derived from quoted volatilities that provides a way to interpolate an implied
Available for 240 countries
10M records
5 years of historical data
100% market quotes
Available Pricing:
Yearly License
Free sample available

FinPricing Swaption Implied Volatility Surface Data - USA, Europe, Australia

FinPricing provides fine granular swaption implied volatility cube data.
Available for 55 countries
27M records
5 years of historical data
100% match market quotes
Available Pricing:
Yearly License
Free sample available

Meteomatics global soil moisture index

Plus, the advanced soil type scheme derived from the root zone data (30-100 cm below the surface) of ... a number of benefits, including a high spatial resolution (10km), the frequency of data updates, with
Available for 227 countries
41 years of historical data
Pricing available upon request
Free sample available

Meteomatics Global precipitation forecasts - forecast for any location, across all timescales

Meteomatics utilises its advanced data science methods to downscale data to 90-meter resolution and temporally ... all precipitation types (rain, freezing rain, snow sleet, drizzle, graupel and hail), available as data
Available for 240 countries
41 years of historical data
Pricing available upon request
Free sample available

Meteomatics solar power forecasts - site specific and regional

Meteomatics uses sophisticated data science schemes to create solar power forecasts at 90-meter resolution
Available for 240 countries
41 years of historical data
Pricing available upon request
Free sample available

Meteomatics Fire Indices - Forest, bush or grass fires

The changing climate has increased the risk of fires in areas of the world susceptible to fire outbreaks and areas that haven't experienced fire before, such as Siberia. Meteomatics' API can help ...
Available for 240 countries
41 years of historical data
Pricing available upon request
Free sample available

Meteomatics' Global soil moisture deficit

Meteomatics' soil moisture deficit (SMD) computes the difference between the actual water content of the soil and the possible water content that the soil can hold in mm.
Available for 240 countries
41 years of historical data
Pricing available upon request
Free sample available

More Surface Data Products

Discover related surface data products.
10M records
100% market quotes
240 countries covered
Provide fine granular FX implied volatility surfaces. A volatility surface is derived from quoted volatilities that provides a way to interpolate an implied ...
27M records
100% match market quotes
55 countries covered
A swaption volatility cube is a volatility term structure for given swaption term volatilities. This means that a point on a volatility cube represents the v...
240 countries covered
41 years of historical data
Meteomatics already provides hyper-localized and accurate solar forecasts across the globe (kW & MW). Meteomatics uses sophisticated data science schemes to ...
227 countries covered
41 years of historical data
Meteomatics' soil moisture index indicates the wetness of the soil (SMI). This index is computed using the permanent wilting point and the field capacity, wh...
240 countries covered
41 years of historical data
Meteomatics' soil moisture deficit (SMD) computes the difference between the actual water content of the soil and the possible water content that the soil ca...
240 countries covered
41 years of historical data
The changing climate has increased the risk of fires in areas of the world susceptible to fire outbreaks and areas that haven't experienced fire before, such...
240 countries covered
41 years of historical data
Meteomatics provides forecasts for all precipitation types (rain, freezing rain, snow sleet, drizzle, graupel and hail), available as data points, in a time ...
240 countries covered
41 years of historical data
The changing climate has increased the risk of fires in areas of the world susceptible to fire outbreaks and areas that haven't experienced fire before, such...
240 countries covered
41 years of historical data
Meteomatics' soil moisture deficit (SMD) computes the difference between the actual water content of the soil and the possible water content that the soil ca...
227 countries covered
41 years of historical data
Meteomatics' soil moisture index indicates the wetness of the soil (SMI). This index is computed using the permanent wilting point and the field capacity, wh...
240 countries covered
41 years of historical data
Meteomatics already provides hyper-localized and accurate solar forecasts across the globe (kW & MW). Meteomatics uses sophisticated data science schemes to ...
10M records
100% market quotes
240 countries covered
Provide fine granular FX implied volatility surfaces. A volatility surface is derived from quoted volatilities that provides a way to interpolate an implied ...
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Meteomatics
Based in Switzerland
Meteomatics
Meteomatics weather API delivers fast, direct, simple access to an extensive range of global weather and environmental data. A single API endpoint to acce...
Spire
Based in United Kingdom
Spire
Spire is a data and analytics company that collects data from space to solve problems on Earth. We identify, track, and predict the movement of the world’s r...

The Ultimate Guide to Surface Data 2023

Learn about surface data analytics, sources, and collection.

What is Surface Data?

Surface/terrain analysis is the interpretation of the earth’s topographic features through geographic information systems. This analysis involves a detailed evaluation of the earth’s surface features such as slope, aspect, view-shed, elevation, contour lines, and upslope and downslope flow-lines. The idea around surface analysis is to model mathematical abstractions of surface terrain to describe landscapes and generate a comprehension of connections between ecological processes and physical features. Therefore, surface data rules control the mechanisms in which features are used to describe a surface.

How is Surface Data collected?

Surface data, together with its consortium of supporting tools, enhances the storage and preservation of vector-based surface capacities. Through geoprocessing functions, surface data is collected by loading data from external sources into a geo-database. The data is then edited by the features within the geo-database tool that maintain and update the data. Geo-database tools are made up of interactive display and query tools that help in the exploration and application of terrain surfaces. As such, a user hoping to get terrain insights from surface data can analyze it based on an area of interest (AOI) and level of detail (LOD), hence having a suite of tools that give wide-ranging means by which surface data is produced and used.

What are the attributes of Surface Data?

Through digital elevation models (DEMS), surface datasets provide crucial information on morphometric variations of the land surface. DEMs provide the means to extract terrain attributes that can be further scaled down to either primary or secondary attributes that give quantifiable dimensions of terrain surface. Primary attributes include variables such as elevation, slope, plain, and curvature profiles. On the other hand, secondary attributes involve an amalgamation of primary features with aspects such as solar radiation, moisture content index, sediment transport value, and others. It is using these attributes that spatial variability of given landscape surfaces can be categorized.

What is Surface Data used for?

The surface analysis uses elevation data to describe the landscape, for basic visualization, modeling, or to support decision making, generally in conjunction with other geospatial information. While tables, scatterplots, or histograms can be created by terrain analysis, a map will almost always be the main product. The two main reasons for surface analysis to be done include exploring information and seeing relationships and then sharing results with others. The analysis of surface is largely twofold; the qualitative aspect that is mainly applied in military operations for terrain analysis, and the more advanced form of numerical computations that find use in geomorphometry. Geomorphometry refers to a science of quantifying topographies with its operational concern being the extraction of land surface features and objects that are constructed from the digital elevation models (DEMs). Surface data is crucial in understanding the engineering site or in the choosing of locations for economic development, where users analyze how the terrain will affect and limit human activity.

How can a user assess the quality of Surface Data?

The core purpose of quality assessment for surface data is to maintain spatial data standards. A user can therefore assess the quality of surface data by taking into account three important quality elements: level of completion, logical consistency, and positional accuracy. Accuracy forms a very important quality aspect for surface data as it defines the difference of the value of a variable on a dataset when contrasted with a variable in the data model (reality). By accurately defining positional accuracy, a user can assess the quality of surface data by considering the position (horizontal or vertical) of objects and the precision in terms of scale and resolution.

Where can I buy Surface Data?

Data providers and vendors listed on Datarade sell Surface Data products and samples. Popular Surface Data products and datasets available on our platform are FinPricing FX Implied Volatility Surface Data - Forex Data (Global) by FinPricing, FinPricing Swaption Implied Volatility Surface Data - USA, Europe, Australia by FinPricing, and Meteomatics global soil moisture index by Meteomatics.

How can I get Surface Data?

You can get Surface Data via a range of delivery methods - the right one for you depends on your use case. For example, historical Surface Data is usually available to download in bulk and delivered using an S3 bucket. On the other hand, if your use case is time-critical, you can buy real-time Surface Data APIs, feeds and streams to download the most up-to-date intelligence.