Dear Colleagues,

I would like to draw your attention to an exciting Remote Sensing of Volcanoes session in the upcoming Joint Assembly between the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and the Asia Oceania Geoscience Society (AOGS) to be held in Singapore this August 13th to 17th.

Follow this link for details about the conference: http://www.asiaoceania.org/aogs2012/public.asp?page=home.htm

Remote Sensing of Volcanoes (SE 106) is aimed at the geohazard monitoring community as well as deposit mappers. Researchers from both groups are invited to contribute abstracts that address new techniques, exciting data sets and interpretations involving some aspect of remote sensing in volcanology. Interdisciplinary approaches to studying volcanological phenomena are especially encouraged to contribute. Specific themes will include (but are not limited to): LiDAR and spectroscopy plume and deposit interrogations, edifice DEM interpretations, and thermal mapping and monitoring.

This is an excellent opportunity to facilitate collaborations with scientist working in the Asia/Oceania region.

Follow this link for abstract submission instructions: http://www.asiaoceania.org/aogs2012/public.asp?page=abstract.htm

Abstract submission is now open and will be until March 12, 2012

Please direct inquiries to the conveners:

Patrick L Whelley
pwhelley@buffalo.edu

Jose L Palma
josepalm@buffalo.edu

Best wishes

Patrick

OpenTopography was an active part of this workshop and we are very interested in data product, format, and metadata standards for TLS data.  We plan to work closely with UNAVCO to facilitate access to TLS datasets via OpenTopography, and will use this report in part to guide our development activities.  As a reminder, OT already hosts several TLS datasets which can be accessed at the bottom of the list on our Point Cloud and Custom DEM page.

Comments and feedback on the report are welcome and encouraged.  Please send them to David Phillips:  dap@unavco.org

Knowledge exchange workshop on terrestrial laser scanning
April 2-3 2012

As part of the NERC EO Technology Cluster Lidarnet project we are planning a 2 day workshop at the University of Leicester, UK.  The workshop aims to attract a cross section of people from researchers, through applications specialists, instrument developers and vendors. We plan to have a mix of activities including key-note talks, an applications poster session, hands-on demonstrations, and interactive discussions.

For further information see:
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/eotechcluster/events/knowledge-exchange-workshop-on-terrestrial-laser-scanning.aspx

or email LiDARnet@le.ac.uk

Dr Nick Tate
Department of Geography
University of Leicester.

Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) in Geomorphology- EGU 2012 (Vienna, 22-27 April 2012)

Dear Colleague,
We would like to invite abstracts on the subject of Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) in Geomorphology for a session at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2012 (Vienna, 22-27 April 2012).  This is part of a larger session on ‘High definition topography - data acquisition, modelling, interpretation’ (GM2.1) convened by Dirk Rieke-Zapp (University of Bern), Alexander Reiterer (Technical University of Munich), Jim Chandler (Loughborough University), James Brasington (University of Canterbury), Mark Powell and Nick Tate (University of Leicester) and Damià Vericat (University of Lleida and Forestry and Technology Centre of Catalonia).

We welcome abstracts which:
1.  Showcase recent applications of TLS in geomorphic contexts
2.  Provide examples and good practice guidance on the collection and processing of TLS data in geomorphic contexts, and
3.  Identify both the possibilities and constraints in using this technology for geomorphic research.
The session is supported by the ISPRS Commission V Working Group V/6 - “Close range morphological measurements for the Earth Sciences” and LiDARnet.
The papers presented at the EGU session will be considered for a special edition of an international journal that would be co-edited by James Brasington, Mark Powell, Nicholas Tate, and Damià Vericat. Information on abstract submission can be found at http://meetings.copernicus.org/egu2012/. The deadline for abstracts is January 17.

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce GM 2.2 the ‘Digital Landscapes’ session at EGU2012 (Vienna, 22-27 April 2012). Following a successful session last year, we look forward to seeing you at another dynamic, diverse and interesting session.

GM 2.2 Digital Landscapes: Quantitative Interrogation and Use to Examine Geomorphic Processes

This inter-disciplinary session focuses on exciting quantitative uses of digital landscapes (DEM, DTM, DSM or point-cloud) to understand how the Earth’s surface is shaped. Global (e.g. ASTER) to high-resolution (e.g. laser scanning, photogrammetry) data sets are welcomed as we believe developments will come through cross-fertilization of best practice and interesting method of analysis.  Possibilities (e.g. repeat surveys, real-time), problems (e.g. awkward case studies), solutions and interesting geomorphic uses from mass-wasting to volcano formation are encouraged.

A full description of the session can be found at
http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2012/session/9760

Deadline for Receipt of Abstracts: 17 January 2012

All the best

John, Paola, Susan, Paolo and David
(conveners)

p.s - Full session description below

This inter-disciplinary technical session will highlight developments driving innovation in the exciting uses of digital landscapes (DEM, DTM, or DSM) of the Earth, seafloor or planetary terrains. It aims to bring together ‘users’ analysing digital landscapes to exhibit the best methods and computational techniques, cross-fertilize best practice, and illustrate what can be achieved and what challenges remain. Possibilities (e.g. innovations), problems (e.g. awkward case studies), solutions and interesting geomorphic uses are encouraged.

We believe that objective, robust and reproducible quantitative methods underpin our ability to unlock the potential wealth of new insights into geomorphic processes recorded in DEMs.

Much interest is expected in high-resolution DEMs, but any data source (e.g. laser scanning, SAR, photogrammetry, satellite-derived) is welcome. Fusion between topographic data and other measurements is in scope.

In geomorphic processes we include both natural processes and those creating a human fingerprint in the landscape. Features identified or parameterised could include volcanoes, craters, gullies, fault scarps, drumlins, or those reflecting anthropogenic disturbances such as deforestation, new urban areas, or land-use change. Natural processes constrained could range from mass-wasting to volcano formation, and from flooding to sedimentary deposition.

We encourage early stage researchers to present their studies

-------------------------
Dr John Hillier
Lecturer - Physical Geography
Loughborough University
01509 223727

OpenTopography will be featured as the invited talk in the session.

Dear Colleague,

We are pleased to draw your kind attention to our EGU2012 (Vienna, 22-27 April 2012) session:

=> ESSI1.6 Laser Scanning: 3D Spatial Data, Analysis, and Infrastructures in Geosciences

(co-listed in GI3 - Earth surface investigation methods and GM2 - Concepts, Techniques and Methods in Geomorphology)

This session brings together researchers aiming at increasing the availability, understanding, and use of 3D spatial data (e.g. 3D laser point cloud) and services to support research in the geosciences. This includes studies on 3D data acquisition, management, analysis and visualization in a broader GeoWeb and SDI context. In particular, case studies and applications for the investigation of Earth surface processes and landforms using 3D data are invited. We particularly encourage early stage researchers to present their studies.

Selected contributions will be invited for publication in a special journal issue.

Furthermore, collaborative GeoWeb case studies using laser scanning data shall be identified in order to initiate an Open Laser Data and Analysis Project.

- Invited Talk: “OpenTopography” by Chaitan Baru, San Diego Supercomputer Center, UC San Diego

- Detailed Session Description: http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2012/session/9660

- Deadline for Receipt of Abstracts: 17 January 2012

To submit an abstract you are kindly asked to go to: http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2012/session/9660

Kind regards,

Bernhard Hoefle, Norbert Pfeifer, Balazs Szekely and Alexander Zipf (conveners)

The course is supported by the Southern California Earthquake Center, UC Davis KeckCAVES, and OpenTopography.

More information on the course and a link to the course application are available via the short course page.  The application deadline is September 21st, 2011.

The National Center for Airborne Laser mapping (NCALM) invites SEED proposals from Graduate Students PIs who need Airborne Laser Swath mapping (ALSM) data (generally covering no more than 40 square kilometers). Proposals must define a basic research question in the geosciences (broadly defined). No financial support is provided to the student, but it is hoped that the data from projects selected in this program will enable new research opportunities and lead to successful proposals for future research. Detail can be found by clicking the link below.

http://www.ncalm.cive.uh.edu/content/seedproposals.html

These look like very relevant sessions for the Earth science terrestrial lidar community.  Abstract deadlines are fast approaching.  Full announcement:

ISPRS V6- “close range morphological measurement for the Earth sciences” abstracts required for V6 sessions in 2012!?

Working group V6 of the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS) is coordinating two events in 2012 which we are hoping you may wish to contribute to, in New York and Melbourne. ISPRS Working Group V/6 aims to promote and coordinate activities involving the spatial measurement of natural objects at close range using a variety of modern geomatics technologies, including: digital photogrammetry and terrestrial laser scanning. Activities are of interest to those involved in: 3D reconstruction for: geomorphology, earth science, hydrology, agriculture, forestry, glaciology, geology, surface roughness and climate change studies. Further details: http://isprsv6.lboro.ac.uk/

Melbourne Congress- 28th of August- 1 September 2012

V6 has managed to secure a Themed Session through collaboration with Working Group IV/8, which should provide a mixed audience. To this we should also add at least one poster and one other oral session dedicated to our activities. Key dates include:

deadline for abstract submission: 24th of October 2011

status of acceptance: 28th of February 2012

submission for papers: 30th of April 2012

Further details included in the second announcement: (http://isprsv6.lboro.ac.uk/reports/ISPRS%202012.pdf) or please examine the Congress website: http://www.isprs2012.org/

The Association of American Geographers, New York- 24th to 28 February, 2012

James Dietrich is coordinating the AAG session of ISPRS V6 and draw your attention to the deadline abstract submission of the 28th September 2011! Further details: http://isprsv6.lboro.ac.uk/aag%20session%20document/AAG_ISPRS_Session.pdf

Jim Chandler

High-resolution digital topographic data products such as LiDAR-derived digital elevation models (DEMs) provide unprecedented insights into the geomorphic response of earthquake-generated surface deformation. By measuring meter-scale offsets of geologic and geomorphic markers, we can understand the surface slip history associated with recent earthquake ruptures, their spatiotemporal distributions, magnitudes, and recurrences. Surface offsets also facilitate physical constraints on surface slip distributions, thus providing physical guides to earthquake forecast models such as the Working Group on California Earthquake Probabilities‘ (WGCEP) Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecasts (UCERF).

In collaboration with the University of Oregon’s Neotectonics lab, the Arizona State University active tectonics, quantitative structural geology, and geomorphology lab is building a database of surface offsets measured using LiDAR datasets, among other data. The goal of this database is to (1) assess how surface offset measurement techniques compare with each other, (2) collect most recent event (MRE) data and the “best” slip rate estimates in a manner that makes them accessible to the scientific and engineering communities via web-based products (e.g., Google Earth kmls), and (3) build a comprehensive understanding of “what’s out there” as far as what data are available (and what are not) to help construct geologically sound fault, deformation, and earthquake forecast models.