Processing and Analysis of GeoEarthscope and Other Community LiDAR Topography Datasets

April 29 - May 1, 2008
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ

Course Materials (Including Agenda, Contact Information, Handouts, and Presentations)

LiDAR—Light Detection and Ranging (also Airborne Laser Swath Mapping-ALSM) topographic data are of broad interest to earth scientists. Many datasets are or will be available freely to the scientific community, especially for fault systems in the western United States via the GeoEarthscope project. These data have exciting and powerful applications in geomorphology, active tectonics, and geoscience education. Participants in this course will learn about LiDAR technology, access to publicly available datasets, software and hardware considerations for working with the data, data processing (raw or classified point clouds, digital elevation models, other derived products), and approaches for analyzing the data to answer their research questions.

This 1.5 day short course will focus on high-resolution topographic data from airborne LiDAR.  Topics will include:

1. Introduction to LiDAR technology, data acquisition, error sources, and common data formats
2. Accessing publicly available LiDAR datasets (with an emphasis on new GeoEarthScope LiDAR)
3. Software and hardware considerations for working with LiDAR data
4. Data processing:
   • Point cloud visualization and analysis
   • Digital elevation model (DEM) generation
   • Derivative product production
5. Examples of how these data can be used to answer tectonics and surface processes research questions

The course will combine lectures with hands on exercises using a variety of software. The target audience for this course is graduate students and practicing scientists interested in incorporating these exciting data into their research.

The LiDAR Short Course will begin on Wed morning (April 30th) and attendees should plan to arrive in Tempe the previous evening (Tuesday the 29th).  The course will conclude mid-day on Thursday (May 1st) to allow for participant departure on Thursday afternoon.  Wednesday evening will be reserved for a group social event.

The short course will be held on the campus of Arizona State University and computers pre-installed with software and sample data will be provided to course participants.  Course documentation, tutorials and lecture notes will also be provided.

Faculty: Chris Crosby, GEON Project, SDSC;  Ramon Arrowsmith, Arizona State University; David Phillips, UNAVCO

Computer Requirements: UNAVCO will provide rented computers installed with all relevant software for the course.

Last modified: 2019-12-24  01:25:56  America/Denver