Convert large xyz file into grid

I have a large XYZ file (300276x3, this file includes x and y coordinates (not lat/lon, but polar stereographic) and elevation z) and I'm wondering if it would be possible to convert this into a gridded dataset (n x m matrix). The xyz file can be downloaded from:

https://wetransfer.com/downloads/4ae4ce51072dceef93486314d161509920191021213532/48e4ee68c17269bd6f7a72c1384b3c9a20191021213532/60b04d

and imported in matlab by:

AIS_SEC = importdata('AIS_SEC.xyz');

I tried:

X= XYZ(:,1);
Y= XYZ(:,2);
Z= XYZ(:,3);
xr = sort(unique(X));
yr = sort(unique(Y));
gRho = zeros(length(yr),length(xr));
gRho = griddata(X,Y,Z,xr,yr')
imagesc(gRho)

Requested 300276x300276 (671.8GB) array exceeds maximum array size preference. Creation of arrays
greater than this limit may take a long time and cause MATLAB to become unresponsive. See array size
limit or preference panel for more information.

I tried:

% Get coordinate vectors
x = unique(XYZ(:,1)) ;
y = unique(XYZ(:,2)) ;
% dimensions of the data
nx = length(x) ; 
ny = length(y) ;
% Frame matrix of grid 
D = reshape(XYZ(:,3),[ny,nx]) ;
% flip  matrix to adjust for plot
H = flipud(H) ;
% Transpose the matrix 
H = H' ;  % Check if is required
surf(x,y,H) ;

Error using reshape
To RESHAPE the number of elements must not change.

I can now plot the nx3 file with scatter3 (see image)

scatter3(XYZ(:,1),XYZ(:,2),XYZ(:,3),2,XYZ(:,3)) ;
colorbar

But I'd like to do it with imagesc. Hence, I would like to convert the nx3 file into a nxm matrix (in raster/gridded format) and as en extra I would like it as a geotiff file for use in QGIS.

Thanks!

[Dave Eccles]

Were you able to find a solution as to how to do this? Also have a similar problem - would also eventually like to generate a geotiff! :) Any help would be much appreciated.

[Chad Greene]

Have you seen my xyz2grid function? I think it'll do what you want.

[Sara]

Hi, where is the function? i did not see it in the MATLAB helo. I also I did net know where I can the download

Answer 1

[Bibhu Das]

If its a 2D data try to figure out min. and max. of X and Y. Then reshape the z column so that size z is equal to 300276. Finally you can contour it.

Answer 2

[Chad Greene]

Try my xyz2grid function. It's fast, easy to use, and one of the examples in that documentation link shows how to grid up an Antarctic dataset just like yours.