ASM
LIDAR Measurement & Monitoring
Today laser instrumentation is used around the world for many applications ranging from distance measurement to atmospheric monitoring. Surveyors and land managers inceasingly use light detection and ranging(Lidar) due to its superior performance for capturing accurate data in a continuous fashion.
SPIE, the international organisation for optics and photonics points to the growth of laser based technologies across numerous sectors of economy and indicates it's contribution to quality of life. This includes ecology and biodiversity measurement. LIDAR has been used by Coffs Harbour City Council in New South Wales, Australia to capture information related to plants. “Using this new system, we can provide pinpoint data on our vegetation to an extremely high degree of accuracy,” said Stephen Sawtell, Council’s General Manager reports.
The growth of LIDAR across Asia has been exceptional. AAMHatch, operates 10 aerial survey aircraft working through Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Africa, Middle East and other international locations. LiDAR sensors purchased and commissioned comprise the latest generation systems available from Optech and Leica.
In New Zealand, the Department of Environment is using LIDAR to develop a carbon accounting and land use system in it's LUCAS project. "Measured tree/forest characteristics using LiDAR can be correlated with concurrent field measurements. The relationships between data can then be applied to plots where only LiDAR measurements are available; LUCAS uses this to determine carbon stock in the above-ground biomass carbon pool."
Fugro Survey Pty. Ltd of Australia was involved in Airborne Hydrographic LIDAR measurement recently for the Australian Navy and the Australian Hydrographic Service. This work involved a Fisheries Protection Survey and Charting Project (FPSCP). Clearly, such work captures highly detailed information that can be used for many purposes. In such cases the data can repurposed to general ship navigation and is suitable for coastal management purposes.
Korea is actively engaged in developing Biotype maps that can be used for land management purposes. Scientists in that country are working to integrate hyperspectral imagery together with highly accurate digital elevation models (DEM). Meanwhile, CALIPSO is one of a series of NASA missions designed to examine critical issues in Earth system science. CALIPSO is a collaboration between NASA Langley Research Center and the French space agency Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales. This satellite will measure aerosols in space. "Aerosols can affect weather and climate. They have complex properties. Depending upon their shapes, sizes and composition they can reflect sunlight back to space and cool the atmosphere, they can also absorb sunlight and warm the atmosphere."
This is only a glance at the impact LIDAR is making on society today. In the areas of 3-D infrastructure, construction, hydrography, geophysical measurement, mining and energy there are many more.
