Provided by: gdal-bin_3.12.0+dfsg-1_amd64 
NAME
gdal-raster-aspect - Generate an aspect map
Added in version 3.11.
SYNOPSIS
Usage: gdal raster aspect [OPTIONS] <INPUT> <OUTPUT>
Generate an aspect map
Positional arguments:
-i, --input <INPUT> Input raster datasets [required]
-o, --output <OUTPUT> Output raster dataset [required]
Common Options:
-h, --help Display help message and exit
--json-usage Display usage as JSON document and exit
--config <KEY>=<VALUE> Configuration option [may be repeated]
-q, --quiet Quiet mode (no progress bar)
Options:
-f, --of, --format, --output-format <OUTPUT-FORMAT> Output format ("GDALG" allowed)
--co, --creation-option <KEY>=<VALUE> Creation option [may be repeated]
--overwrite Whether overwriting existing output is allowed
Mutually exclusive with --append
--append Append as a subdataset to existing output
Mutually exclusive with --overwrite
-b, --band <BAND> Input band (1-based index) (default: 1)
--convention <CONVENTION> Convention for output angles. CONVENTION=azimuth|trigonometric-angle (default: azimuth)
--gradient-alg <GRADIENT-ALG> Algorithm used to compute terrain gradient. GRADIENT-ALG=Horn|ZevenbergenThorne (default: Horn)
--zero-for-flat Whether to output zero for flat areas
--no-edges Do not try to interpolate values at dataset edges or close to nodata values
Advanced Options:
--if, --input-format <INPUT-FORMAT> Input formats [may be repeated]
--oo, --open-option <KEY>=<VALUE> Open options [may be repeated]
DESCRIPTION
gdal raster aspect generates an aspect map, from any GDAL-supported elevation raster.
This subcommand is also available as a potential step of gdal raster pipeline
It outputs a 32-bit float raster with values between 0° and 360° representing the azimuth that slopes are
facing. The definition of the azimuth is such that: - 0° means that the slope is facing the North, - 90°
it's facing the East, - 180° it's facing the South - and 270° it's facing the West (provided that the top
of your input raster is north oriented).
The aspect value -9999 is used as the nodata value to indicate undefined aspect in flat areas with
slope=0.
A nodata value in the target dataset will also be emitted if at least one pixel set to the nodata value
is found in the 3x3 window centered around each source pixel. By default, the algorithm will compute
values at image edges or if a nodata value is found in the 3x3 window, by interpolating missing values,
unless --no-edges is specified, in which case a 1-pixel border around the image will be set with the
nodata value.
Standard options
-f, --of, --format, --output-format <OUTPUT-FORMAT>
Which output raster format to use. Allowed values may be given by gdal --formats | grep raster |
grep rw | sort
--co <NAME>=<VALUE>
Many formats have one or more optional creation options that can be used to control particulars
about the file created. For instance, the GeoTIFF driver supports creation options to control
compression, and whether the file should be tiled.
May be repeated.
The creation options available vary by format driver, and some simple formats have no creation
options at all. A list of options supported for a format can be listed with the --formats command
line option but the documentation for the format is the definitive source of information on driver
creation options. See Raster drivers format specific documentation for legal creation options for
each format.
--overwrite
Allow program to overwrite existing target file or dataset. Otherwise, by default, gdal errors
out if the target file or dataset already exists.
-b, --band <BAND>
Index (starting at 1) of the band to which the aspect must be computed.
--convention azimuth|trigonometric-angle
Convention for output angles.
Defaults to azimuth, that is to say: - 0° means that the slope is facing the North, - 90° it's
facing the East, - 180° it's facing the South - and 270° it's facing the West (provided that the
top of your input raster is north oriented).
If set to trigonometric-angle, - 0° means that the slope is facing the East, - 90° it's facing the
North, - 180° it's facing the West - and 270° it's facing the South
--gradient-alg Horn|ZevenbergenThorne
Algorithm used to compute terrain gradient. The default is Horn. The literature suggests
Zevenbergen & Thorne to be more suited to smooth landscapes, whereas Horn's formula to perform
better on rougher terrain.
--zero-for-flat
Whether to output zero for flat areas. By default, flat areas where the slope is null will be
assigned a nodata value (-9999). When setting this option, they are set to 0.
--no-edges
Do not try to interpolate values at dataset edges or close to nodata values
GDALG OUTPUT (ON-THE-FLY / STREAMED DATASET)
This program supports serializing the command line as a JSON file using the GDALG output format. The
resulting file can then be opened as a raster dataset using the GDALG: GDAL Streamed Algorithm driver,
and apply the specified pipeline in a on-the-fly / streamed way.
EXAMPLES
Example 1: Generates an aspect map from a DTED0 file.
$ gdal raster aspect n43.dt0 out.tif --overwrite
AUTHOR
Even Rouault <even.rouault@spatialys.com>
COPYRIGHT
1998-2025
Nov 07, 2025 GDAL-RASTER-ASPECT(1)