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Coastal and Marine Geology Program Lidar Coordination Active

By Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program December 8, 2017

Resources, publications, and contacts for lidar.

Illustration of Airborne Lidar Acquisition Platform
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Airborne lidar is a surveying method that measures distance to a target from a survey plane by illuminating that target with a pulsed laser light, and measuring the reflected pulses with a sensor. Differences in laser return times and wavelengths can then be used to make digital 3D-representations of the target. This illustration depicts the equipment used, including the plane with digital camera mounted underneath, the GPS base station, and the satellites used to obtain the coordinates. (Credit: Betsy Boynton. Public domain.)

Lidar coordination supports the USGS Coastal and Marine Geology goal of understanding coastal and marine environments through technology, tools, data and mapping products, as well as collaborative opportunities.

USGS Lidar Base Specification - Lidar Base Specification (ver. 1.2, November 2014): U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods, book 11, chap. B4, 67 p. with appendices (2 MB PDF)

The National Map Viewer - The geographic information available includes orthoimagery (aerial photographs), elevation, geographic names, hydrography, boundaries, transportation, structures, and land cover.

USGS The National Map Liaisons - Federal Geospatial Liaisons work with the Federal Geographic Data Committee and other Federal agencies to develop and manage partnerships at the national and programmatic level to support development and use of The National Map.

3D Elevation Program - High-quality topographic data and a wide range of other three-dimensional representations of the Nation's natural and constructed features.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below are publications associated with this project.

Lidar base specification

In late 2009, a $14.3 million allocation from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for new light detection and ranging (lidar) elevation data acquisition prompted the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Geospatial Program (NGP) to develop a common minimum specification for all lidar data acquired for The National Map. Released as a working draft in 2010 and formally published in 20
Authors
Hans Karl Heidemann
By
Core Science Systems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, National Geospatial Program, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Coastal Changes and Impacts, National Geospatial Technical Operations Center, NGP Standards and Specifications
Filter Total Items: 16

EAARL-B coastal topography: Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana, 2012: seamless (bare earth and submerged)

These remotely sensed, geographically referenced elevation measurements of light detection and ranging (lidar)-derived seamless (bare-earth and submerged) topography datasets were produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg, Florida. This project provides datasets acquired on August 7 and 8, 2012, for a portion of the Chandeleur I
Authors
C. Wayne Wright, Emily S. Klipp, Christine J. Kranenburg, Rodolfo J. Troche, Xan Fredericks, Melanie L. Masessa, David B. Nagle
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

EAARL-B coastal topography: Fire Island, New York, pre-Hurricane Sandy, 2012: seamless (bare earth and submerged)

These remotely sensed, geographically referenced elevation measurements of lidar-derived seamless (bare-earth and submerged) topography datasets were produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg, Florida.   This project provides highly detailed and accurate datasets for part of Fire Island, New York, acquired pre-Hurricane Sandy on
Authors
C. Wayne Wright, Christine J. Kranenburg, Emily S. Klipp, Rodolfo J. Troche, Xan Fredericks, Melanie L. Masessa, David B. Nagle
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Hurricane Sandy

EAARL-B submerged topography: Barnegat Bay, New Jersey, pre-Hurricane Sandy, 2012

These remotely sensed, geographically referenced elevation measurements of lidar-derived submerged topography datasets were produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg, Florida.   This project provides highly detailed and accurate datasets for part of Barnegat Bay, New Jersey, acquired pre-Hurricane Sandy on October 18, 22, 23, an
Authors
C. Wayne Wright, Rodolfo J. Troche, Emily S. Klipp, Christine J. Kranenburg, Xan Fredericks, David B. Nagle
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Hurricane Sandy

EAARL-B submerged topography: Barnegat Bay, New Jersey, post-Hurricane Sandy, 2012-2013

These remotely sensed, geographically referenced elevation measurements of lidar-derived submerged topography datasets were produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg, Florida. This project provides highly detailed and accurate datasets for part of Barnegat Bay, New Jersey, acquired post-Hurricane Sandy on November 1, 5, 16, 20,
Authors
C. Wayne Wright, Rodolfo J. Troche, Christine J. Kranenburg, Emily S. Klipp, Xan Fredericks, David B. Nagle
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Hurricane Sandy

EAARL-B coastal topography: eastern New Jersey, Hurricane Sandy, 2012: first surface

These remotely sensed, geographically referenced elevation measurements of lidar-derived first-surface (FS) topography datasets were produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg, Florida. This project provides highly detailed and accurate datasets for a portion of the New Jersey coastline beachface, acquired pre-Hurricane Sandy on
Authors
C. Wayne Wright, Xan Fredericks, Rodolfo J. Troche, Emily S. Klipp, Christine J. Kranenburg, David B. Nagle
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Hurricane Sandy, Hurricanes

Accuracy of EAARL lidar ground elevations using a bare-earth algorithm in marsh and beach grasses on the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana

The NASA Experimental Advanced Airborne Lidar (EAARL) is an airborne lidar (light detection and ranging) instrument designed to map coastal topography and bathymetry. The EAARL system has the capability to capture each laser-pulse return over a large signal range and can digitize the full waveform of the backscattered energy. Because of this ability to capture the full waveform, the EAARL system c
Authors
Kara S. Doran, Asbury H. Sallenger, Billy J. Reynolds, C. Wayne Wright
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Hurricanes

EAARL Coastal Topography and Imagery-Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland and Virginia, Post-Nor'Ida, 2009

These remotely sensed, geographically referenced color-infrared (CIR) imagery and elevation measurements of lidar-derived bare-earth (BE) and first-surface (FS) topography datasets were produced collaboratively by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg, FL, and the National Park Service (NPS), Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network, Kings
Authors
J.M. Bonisteel-Cormier, Amar Nayegandhi, J. C. Brock, C. W. Wright, D.B. Nagle, E.S. Klipp, Saisudha Vivekanandan, Xan Fredericks, Sara Stevens
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

EAARL coastal topography and imagery-Fire Island National Seashore, New York, 2009

These remotely sensed, geographically referenced color-infrared (CIR) imagery and elevation measurements of lidar-derived bare-earth (BE) and first-surface (FS) topography datasets were produced collaboratively by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg, FL, and the National Park Service (NPS), Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network, Kings
Authors
Saisudha Vivekanandan, E.S. Klipp, Amar Nayegandhi, J.M. Bonisteel-Cormier, J. C. Brock, C. W. Wright, D.B. Nagle, Xan Fredericks, Sara Stevens
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

EAARL Coastal Topography - St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands 2003: First Surface

These remotely sensed, geographically referenced elevation measurements of Lidar-derived first surface (FS) topography were produced as a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Florida Integrated Science Center (FISC), St. Petersburg, FL; the National Park Service (NPS), South Florida-Caribbean Network, Miami, FL; and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA
Authors
Amar Nayegandhi, John Brock, C. Wayne Wright, Matt Patterson, Xan Yates, Jamie M. Bonisteel
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

EAARL coastal topography — Northern Gulf of Mexico, 2007: Bare earth

These remotely sensed, geographically referenced elevation measurements of Lidar-derived bare earth (BE) topography were produced as a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Florida Integrated Science Center (FISC), St. Petersburg, FL; the National Park Service (NPS), Gulf Coast Network, Lafayette, LA; and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Wallops F
Authors
Kathryn E. L. Smith, Amar Nayegandhi, C. Wayne Wright, Jamie M. Bonisteel, John Brock
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

EAARL Coastal Topography - Northern Gulf of Mexico, 2007: First surface

These remotely sensed, geographically referenced elevation measurements of Lidar-derived first surface (FS) elevation data were produced as a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Florida Integrated Science Center (FISC), St. Petersburg, FL; the National Park Service (NPS), Gulf Coast Network, Lafayette, LA; and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Wa
Authors
Kathryn E. L. Smith, Amar Nayegandhi, C. Wayne Wright, Jamie M. Bonisteel, John Brock
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Gulf of Mexico

EAARL coastal topography — Fire Island National Seashore 2007

These remotely sensed, geographically referenced elevation measurements of Lidar-derived first surface (FS) and bare earth (BE) topography were produced as a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Florida Integrated Science Center (FISC), St. Petersburg, FL; the National Park Service (NPS), Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network, Kingston, RI; and the National Aeronautics a
Authors
Amar Nayegandhi, John Brock, C. Wayne Wright, Sara Stevens, Xan Yates, Jamie M. Bonisteel
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Below are data or web applications associated with this project.