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A clustering approach for detection of ground in micropulse photon-counting LiDAR altimeter data

  • Rochester Institute of Technology

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

52 Scopus citations

Abstract

Observations from satellite lidar instruments have provided evidence in the remarkable changes in polar ice sheets on a global scale. The Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) is scheduled for launch by NASA in 2017 and will monitor the elevation changes of polar ice sheets and vegetation canopy. To validate ICESat-2's approach of photon-counting laser altimetry, measurements obtained from the Multiple Altimeter Beam Experimental Lidar (MABEL) instrument are critical. In support of the ICESat-2 mission, this paper derives an algorithm for the detection of ground and vegetation canopy in photon-counting laser altimeter data. This approach uses a density-based clustering model and modifies the shape of search area. Based on results from MABEL observations, the proposed approach is seen to be robust in detecting ground and vegetation canopy as well as background noise reduction. In addition, this approach can be quickly implemented and adaptive to photon-counting lidar data sets with different point cloud densities.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationInternational Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS)
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages177-180
Number of pages4
ISBN (Electronic)9781479957750
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 4 2014
EventJoint 2014 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, IGARSS 2014 and the 35th Canadian Symposium on Remote Sensing, CSRS 2014 - Quebec City, Canada
Duration: Jul 13 2014Jul 18 2014

Publication series

NameInternational Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS)

Conference

ConferenceJoint 2014 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, IGARSS 2014 and the 35th Canadian Symposium on Remote Sensing, CSRS 2014
Country/TerritoryCanada
CityQuebec City
Period07/13/1407/18/14

Keywords

  • clustering
  • LiDAR
  • MABEL
  • photon-counting

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