OpenTopography Blog

Information and discussion related to high-resolution LiDAR topography for the Earth sciences

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Fall AGU Special Session on Ground Based Geodetic Techniques and Science Applications

Posted on Tue, August 10, 2010 by C. Crosby in Meetings • TLS

Session announcements for the fall American Geophysical Union (AGU) meeting in San Francisco are beginning to appear.  The following session on ground based geodetic techniques includes an emphasis on terrestrial laser scanning:

Dear Colleagues:

We would like to bring to your attention the following special session on Ground Based Geodetic Techniques and Science Applications to be held at the 2010 Fall AGU Meeting in San Francisco, December 13 - 17:

Ground Based Geodetic Techniques and Science Applications
Ground-based geodesy is a rapidly expanding and evolving technology. Tools such as terrestrial laser scanners (TLS) and/or ground-based radars (GBR) promise to expand our detailed understanding of the fundamental processes that drive a broad range of spatial (3D) and temporal (4D) science applications. We invite contributions that discuss both the technical aspects of the technology and process-based geoscience studies using ground-based geodetic tools such as, but not limited to, TLS and GBR. What are the strengths, weaknesses, and limitations of the technologies? How is the technology being used to address static and dynamic scientific problems? We encourage contributions from a wide range of disciplines.

http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm10/program/scientific_session_search.php?show=detail&sessid=269

Best regards,

Benjamin Brooks, David Phillips, and Gerald Bawden - Session conveners

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Geoscience Applications of High-Resolution Digital Topography in Arizona

Posted on Sun, August 01, 2010 by C. Crosby in News • Publications • Research • TLS

The latest edition of the Arizona Geological Survey’s online Arizona Geology magazine has a nice article on recent applications of airborne and terrestrial LiDAR to geoscience research in Arizona written by David Haddad, a graduate student in ASU’s Active Tectonics, Quantitative Structural Geology and Geomorphology research group.  For his MS research, David used LiDAR data from both airborne and terrestrial platforms to characterize the geomorphic settings of precariously balanced rocks in the Granite Dells near Prescott, AZ.  Precariously balanced rocks (PBRs) can be used as negative indicators of strong ground motion caused by earthquakes, and their spatial distribution provides an indication of the intensity of ground shaking in a given location.  For more on PBRs, see David’s other Arizona Geology article: Nature’s Balanced Seismometers.

David’s article provides a nice overview of LiDAR technology, a few nice graphics like the one above, and a good intro to how these data have been applied to his PBR research in Arizona.

Arizona Geology article: High-Resolution Digital Topography in Arizona

Via: Lee Allison’s Arizona Geology blog

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LiDAR Beginning to Appear in Google Maps Terrain Layer

Posted on Fri, July 30, 2010 by C. Crosby in Data • Google Earth • Google Maps

One of my favorite features in Google Maps is the terrain layer, which provides a shaded relief (aka hillshade) view of the topography derived from a digital elevation model.  Google has done a nice job generating a visually pleasing terrain layer, and we use it for all of our Google Maps-based interfaces in OpenTopography.  Google appears to use a range of digital elevation model data sources to derive the terrain layer.  Throughout the US, it appears that the terrain layer comes from either 10 or 30 m (1/3 arc-second & 1 arc-second respectively) DEMs from the USGS National Elevation Dataset (NED).  Globally the terrain data appear to be derived from either Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data or something like the NOAA Global Land One-km Base Elevation Project (GLOBE) dataset.  Recently however, I’ve begun to notice higher resolution data in the Google Maps terrain layer.  These higher-resolution data are localized, and are patched into the terrain layer among the standard 10 and 30 m derived images, but they are impressive when you find them.  Based on the location of these patches of high-resolution terrain, and their appearance, it is pretty easy to deduce that Google is now incorporating bare earth LiDAR digital elevation models into the Google Maps terrain layer.

Thus far, I’ve noticed high-resolution data in downtown Portland, OR, the greater Los Angeles area, and Mount Saint Helens in Washington.  There may be other examples of LiDAR-derived terrain in Google Maps since I haven’t searched very hard.  If you are aware of other areas leave a comment.

Below are a few sites in Google Maps where you can clearly see the high-resolution data.

Downtown Portland, OR.  Data are sourced from the Oregon LiDAR Consortium managed by the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI).  Note obvious building foundations, hillslope modifications, etc.:

View Larger Map

Edge of LiDAR near Washington Park in Portland - bare earth LiDAR on the east side, 10 m (?) data on the west:

View Larger Map

LiDAR bare earth data near Beverly Hills, CA.  I’m not sure of the origin of these data - does anyone know if the original LiDAR point cloud and DEM data are publicly available?:

View Larger Map

Obvious seam between LiDAR grids and lower resolution terrain data north of Yorba Linda, CA:

View Larger Map

Finally, the very impressive Mount Saint Helens data.  Presumably these are the data collected by NASA in partnership with USGS in 2003-2004 during a period of significant volcanic activity:

View Larger Map

It is really nice to see these high-resolution terrain datasets making it into such a common and easily accessible platform like Google Maps.  OpenTopography provides network-linked KMZ files to deliver LiDAR derived imagery data to Google Earth so that they are available to non-expert users, and direct incorporation of these data into the Google Maps terrain layer takes the accessibility of these data one step further.  As the number of public domain LiDAR data collections increases, I’d expect that we’ll see more examples of LiDAR appearing in maps and online visualizations accessible to the general public. 

An interesting, and logical follow on question to LiDAR in Google Maps, is when will Google will tackle the integration of high-resolution terrain data into the topographic mesh in Google Earth?  For the Earth science community, 1 meter terrain data in Google earth would be revolutionary.

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Workshops on Interoperability/Technology and Education/Outreach aspects of Geoinformatics

Posted on Fri, July 30, 2010 by C. Crosby in Workshops

The following workshop, to be held September 23 and 24, 2010 at the USGS-Denver Federal Center, may be of interest to the OpenTopography community and researchersworking on geoinformatics:

Workshops on Interoperability/Technology and Education/Outreach aspects of Geoinformatics – working towards a National Geoinformatics Community

Workshop overview:
Building on the experience gathered from previous workshops on geoinformatics, the academic community has the opportunity to be directly involved in planning and coordinating future efforts in geoinformatics research and learning.  The main objectives of these workshops are to identify the best ways to integrate and share data and knowledge from different fields in the geosciences, focus geoinformatics research and education priorities, and build a National Geoinformatics Community (NGC).  Important to this is to address aspects related to interoperability/technology and education/outreach.  The vision for NGC is to advance geoinformatics at all levels via outreach, advocacy, and fostering communities of practice. The NGC concept has evolved from numerous workshops, town hall meetings, and the work of an exploratory committee in meetings with existing and successful community efforts such as UNAVCO, IRIS, Ocean Leadership (formerly JOI), and CUAHSI.  


We invite participation in the two-day workshop to establish the National Geoinformatics Community.  The first day and a half will be run as two parallel, separate workshops: one for interoperability/technology and the other for education/outreach.  The two groups will meet for the last half-day to review results and plan for future activities and establishing the NGC.  The workshops will be held at the USGS, Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO.

More information about the workshop and application information are available at: http://ngc.usgin.org/WorkshopsOnInteroperability.htm

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Global Forest Heights Map From NASA LIDAR and MODIS Data

Posted on Wed, July 21, 2010 by C. Crosby in News

A press release from NASA yesterday highlights the first global map of forest canopy heights created from ICESat LiDAR and MODIS data.  The map, produced by Dr. Michael Lefsky at Colorado State University, is the first of its kind generated with a uniform methodology and has important applications for developing global carbon budgets.  Specifically, the map “will help scientists build an inventory of how much carbon the world’s forests store and how fast that carbon cycles through ecosystems and back into the atmosphere”.

The global ICESat LiDAR coverage allows this kind of comprehensive mapping of the forest height globally:

Lidar can capture vertical slices of forest canopy height by shooting pulses of light at the ground and observing how much longer it takes for light to bounce back from the surface than from the top of the forest canopy. Since lidar can penetrate the top layer of forest canopy, it provides a detailed snapshot of the vertical structure of a forest.

“Lidar is unparalleled for this type of measurement,” Lefsky said. “It would have taken weeks or more to collect the same amount of data in the field by counting and measuring tree trunks that lidar can capture in seconds.”

OpenTopography and partners from UNAVCO and the National Snow and Ice Data Center have funding from NASA to provide integrated access to existing NASA LiDAR data products from ICESat and LVIS, as well as on-demand processing capability, and enhanced QA/QC metrics to make these data more easily accessible and usable to a range of scientists.  Once implemented, access to these data will be available through the OpenTopography Portal.  Read more about the NASA LiDAR Access System (NLAS) project.

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Virtual tectonics session at 2010 GSA meeting

Posted on Tue, July 20, 2010 by C. Crosby in Google Earth • Meetings

Yet another session at the 2010 Geological Society of America Meeting in Denver that may be of interest to the OpenTopography community.  Announcement via the GEOMOD-LIDAR-L list:

Good afternoon,

We would like to call your attention to a topical session (oral) at the national GSA meeting in Denver in October:

T145. Virtual Tectonics
GSA Structural Geology and Tectonics Division; GSA Geoscience Education Division; GSA Geoinformatics Division; GSA Geology and Society Division; National Association of Geoscience Teachers
Declan G. De Paor, S.J Whitmeyer

Application of virtual reality to tectonics: virtual field trips, LiDAR, Gigapans, Google Earth, Second Life, virtual specimens, animations, simulations of tectonic and neotectonic processes, interactive maps, lunar and planetary VR, and the geology of exoplanets.

We encourage abstract submissions on topics that focus on using modern digital technology and/or cyber-based tools to address any variety of Earth or Planetary tectonics-related topics. In addition, we encourage abstracts that address education and/or research oriented themes.

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions, and remember that the deadline for abstract submissions is August 10. The link for abstract submissions is: http://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2010AM/top/papers/index.cgi?sessionid=25815

cheers -

Steve Whitmeyer (whitmesj@jmu.edu)
Declan De Paor (ddepaor@odu.edu)

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2010 GSA Annual Meeting - Applications of Airborne and Terrestrial Lidar

Posted on Fri, June 25, 2010 by C. Crosby in Meetings • TLS

This GSA 2010 LiDAR session announcement went out this morning via various listservs.  This session, coupled with the accompanying Pardee Keynote Symposium and the Terrestrial Laser Scanning: Applications in Geology and Geomorphology session that was announced previously, means that GSA is shaping up to be a great meeting for Earth science applications of LiDAR.  I’ll be giving a talk in the Pardee session.  Hope to see you there!

We would like to draw your attention to the following Topical Session at the 2010 GSA Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado (Oct. 31st - Nov. 3rd):

T32. Seeing the True Shape of Earth’s Surface: Applications of Airborne and Terrestrial LiDAR in the Geosciences (Oral and Poster)

High-resolution lidar data are now becoming available over large areas of earth’s surface. This session will examine how these highly detailed images of the landscape provide unprecedented opportunities for qualitative and quantitative analysis of earth processes. We invite presentations from any application of lidar in the geosciences. The session is being co-sponsored by the GSA Engineering Geology , Structural Geology and Tectonics, Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology, Sedimentary Geology , Geoinformatics, and Geophysics Divisions and will accompany a Pardee Keynote Symposium on the same topic.

Conveners:
Ian Madin (ian.madin@dogami.state.or.us)
Kurt Frankel (kfrankel@gatech.edu)

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OpenTopography Overview Video

Posted on Mon, June 21, 2010 by C. Crosby in OpenTopography Updates

The OpenTopography ASU Capstone team - a group of senior undergraduate (who have now graduated - congrats!) School of Computing and Informatics students at Arizona State supervised by OpenTopography Co-I Ramon Arrowsmith - have released another nice video about OpenTopography.  This video provides an introduction to the OpenTopography Facility:

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Recap: Accessing Haiti Earthquake LiDAR Data

Posted on Mon, June 21, 2010 by C. Crosby in 2010 Haiti EQ • Data

Following the January 12th, 2010 Haiti earthquake I wrote a number of blog posts related to the post-earthquake LiDAR data that were collected by the Center for Imaging Science at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Kucera International, and ImageCat, Inc (with funding from the World Bank), and the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA).  As a result of these posts OpenTopography gets quite a bit of traffic from people looking for information about these data.  Although discussed in previous posts, we still get emails asking how to access the data.

Given that there appears to be some confusion, here is a quick summary of how to access the publicly available Haiti lidar data products.  If you are aware of other pathways to the data leave a comment and I’ll update the list.

Point cloud data:

The World Bank funded data are available from the RIT Information Products Laboratory for Emergency Response (IPLER) Haiti earthquake page.  Available products include classified point clouds in LAS format and first return (SEM) and bare earth (DEM) terrain models in GeoTIFF formats.  From the IPLER Haiti page:

Data can be DOWNLOADED: Anonymous FTP (not an SFTP) using thor.cis.rit.edu OR the WASP HTTP Site

UPDATE August 5th, 2010: OpenTopography is now hosting the full World Bank - ImageCat Inc. - RIT Haiti Earthquake LiDAR point cloud dataset.  You can access these data HERE.


Gridded Products (DEMs):

First return (SEM) and bare earth (DEM) terrain models in GeoTIFF formats (derived from the LAS point cloud data) are available via the IPLER Haiti FTP and HTTP sites listed above, or from an FTP site hosted by the USGS that was deployed to host earthquake-related data: http://edcftp.cr.usgs.gov/pub/data/disaster/201001_Earthquake_Haiti/

Google Earth Image Overlays:

Using the gridded World Bank LiDAR data downloaded from the USGS FTP site above, I generated a cache of hillshade imagery and a network linked KML file to access these images in Google Earth.  Download of the KML file and more information can be found in this blog post: Haiti LiDAR imagery in Google Earth

NGA ALIRT LiDAR:

Access to NGA ALIRT LiDAR data are via the NGA Haiti ALIRT page, which provides an overview map of the collection area and a link to download ”Geospatial Data Files”.  Products range from movies and PDF visuals of data to DSMs in GeoTIFF format.

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Boise Center Aerospace Laboratory LiDAR Outreach Videos

Posted on Mon, June 07, 2010 by C. Crosby in Education • Google Earth

Nancy Glenn from the Idaho State University Department of Geosciences Boise Center Aerospace Laboratory (BCAL) sent along a link to a collection of outreach videos they have been developing that provide 3D visualizations using LiDAR and other digital data.  For example, the following video provides a narrated tour of the Snake River in eastern Idaho:

The BCAL videos page also features a 3D tour of the Borah Peak Earthquake rupture and an introduction to LiDAR technology.  These resources, produced with National Science Foundation Idaho EPSCoR Program funding, are great resources for education and outreach.

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