Viewing DEM's in Local Scenes within ArcGIS Pro

[IGCMCGIS]

Hello Everyone,

It seems that there is a bit of an issue with showcasing DEMs within local scenes in ArcGIS Pro. The DEMs were made in ArcMap and shown in ArcScene where they show up absolutely fine with minimal steps of adjusting the vertical aggregation. 

Unfortunately ringing this in ArcGIS Pro , it always shows up as 2D layers. We understand that we will have to add them as elevation layers but this just creates a depression within the ground (as it is a subsurface layer) and the layers does not look anywhere near how it should look in ArcScene. 

Also since this is a subsurface model of a lake, we were exploring the methodologies of creating and publishing voxel layers and that too would not yield any good variation. 

We have worked with multidimensional rasters many times with ArcGIS Pro and their 3D capabilities are amazing but why can't it just render simple surfaces which show up absolutely fine in ArcScene. We are obviously doing something wrong here so any direction on what to do next would really help us out.

An image below shows how the layers shows up in a local scene in ARcGIS Pro.

The raster was added as an elevation source and as a layer for symbology. 

[JeremyWright · Accepted solution]

I will try to address your concerns below, but let me know if I've missed one.

I heard the following:

1) when same data is added to default Pro local scenes, it looks sunken (because there is a default elevation source and basemap) - 

POTENTIAL MITIGATION: you can change Map And Scene Options to remove default elevation and default basemaps from newly added scenes:  https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/mapping/properties/default-settings-for-new-maps-and-s...

2.  When same data is added to Pro it is added only as a 2d layer, not as an elevation source.

POTENTIAL MITIGATION: we are working on enhancements to the Elevation UX that will make this specific workflow more user-friendly. 

As you have identified, in current releases you must add the elevation twice (once as 2d layer, once as an elevation source or surface) to get equivalent behavior to ArcScene with the DEM added "on itself".

Lastly, vertical exaggeration is available in Pro as well.  YOu can adjust it from the Elevation Surface's "appearance" tab:  

https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/mapping/properties/elevation-surfaces.htm

Hope this helps!  Please let me know if you have any further questions regarding elevation surfaces in Pro or suggestions for future enhancements.

[Aaron_King]

When I add a raster layer to an ARCPro Scene, it comes in as a 2d Layer, and I do not get the "At an Absolute Height" or "Relative to the Ground" options in the Layer Properties. 

What can I do to get those options?