How to download the entire ASTER GDEMv2 dataset?
My suggestions would be to utilize reverb at http://reverb.echo.nasa.gov/reverb/. First register if you have not already done so. In the search box type ASTER GDEM and Select Dataset --- note if you want a particular area this is the point where you select the box range in the map window to the left (very useful feature!).
ASTER GDEM Global Digital Elevation Model V002
Select "Search for Granules"
Now begins the tedious part where there are over 22,000 ASTER GDEM tiles that cover the globe however, the website only list 400 per page where there is an 'Add All on Page' button but no Add All option (i.e. 50 + pages to go through + load time).
Press the View Items in Cart (Shopping Cart), press the 'ALL' button that will pop up a new message 'All Items on Page Selected. Select All n Items in Cart'. Click on that link. At the bottom of the page select 'Order Selected' (no direct download is available).
Follow the appropriate steps including your order details (its free no worries) and on the following page select the 'Order Option - Not Set and Required' button to state the reason for the download (remember to use the apply to all function).
You will then receive an email entitled CM SHARED with directions for ftp pull on your selected data. From my limited experience, this usually takes approximatley one working day. Essentially the ftp and pull directory to connect will look like:
ftp://e4ftl01.cr.usgs.gov # Ftp Server
PullDir/0302595257dmDDFH # Pull Directory Example
This provides really fast download (unlike some other ftp sites Global Land Cover Facility) especially comming from Europe (5mb/s).
Sorry for the long answer to a rather simple procedure but as I write this I am actually downloading ASTER GDEMv2 data myself for the entire continous USA. Note ASTER GDEMv2 is not void filled (although improvements have been made), unlike others like SRTM V4.1 from http://srtm.csi.cgiar.org/ at 90m resolution.
Don't discount old fashioned snail mail (updated for 2016, emphasis added):
There is no charge for bulk delivery of 3DEP data, but you will be required to provide the hard drive(s) needed to store the data and postage for us to send them back to you. The data are also available in several different formats (ArcGrid, Gridfloat or IMG) [...]
We also offer Original Product Resolution (OPR) Digital Elevation Models (DEMs). OPR DEMs are preserved in the original post spacing (horizontal resolution) and spatial reference systems in which they were acquired by the USGS. [...]. At this time, OPR data includes only ifsar-source DEMs in Alaska, and high-resolution DEMs incorporated into the 3DEP since April 2014. [...]
Please note:
• We cannot process the request unless we have the correct number of drives, a listed Job ID Number , and return shipping account number or pre-paid shipping labels. [...]
• Turn-around times will depend on our current workload at the time an order is placed, but in most cases you will receive the data in 1 – 2 weeks.
The data resolutions available are 2, 1, 1/3, & 1/9 arc-second, and 1 meter (where available). To order everything except 1m allocate approximately ~2TB of drive space. ('Varies' was given for 1m product.)
The contact address is [email protected] (with fallback of [email protected])
USGS / NGTOC
1400 Independence Rd.
MS 960
Rolla, MO 65401
Phone: 1-800-252-4547, 573-308-3949
A few years ago I cobbled together Backdoor to US Seamless National Elevation Data which may or may not be still relevant. The nutshell is:
http://extract.cr.usgs.gov/Website/distreq/RequestSummary.jsp?AL=71.0,56.0,-140.0,-150.0&PL=NAK01HZwhere this is your region of interest north,south and east,west in decimal degrees.
AL=71.0,56.0,-140.0,-150.0and this is data set to choose from, in this case “National Elevation Dataset Alaska (NED) 2 Arc Second”
PL=NAK01HZ
Apparently Japan Space Systems distribution of Aster products discontinued as of March 2016.
Update: The simplest route is probably to just bypass the US site get it from Japan Space Systems: http://gdem.ersdac.jspacesystems.or.jp/index.jsp
Selection can be made from the Search page by clicking tiles, drawing a polygon on screen, uploading a shapefile and entering coordinates. Max tile selection is 1000. The first 100 tiles can be downloaded right away (depending on how many other users are also doing so; 16 max), and the rest are queued up for processing when there are system resources free. You have 72 hours to download from the queue before it is cleared.
Registration is free, though lacking in some of the features we've come to take for granted, like "that username is already taken" and "forgot password?". I suggest using your email address for username.
(Thanks to Ben Discoe for the tip: http://vterrain.org/Elevation/global.html)
I followed the instructions from NASA: http://www.echo.nasa.gov/reference/astergdem_tutorial.htm
and the trick is to search by granule ID (data block), f.e. %N00% and wait for the confirmation email to arrive (I tried other methods, but they were too painful).