Facility Support: OpenTopography - A National Hub for High Resolution Topographic Data, Tools, and Knowledge

亚利桑那州立大学和圣地亚哥超级计算机中心（PI: Baru/EAR-0930731）将支持一项为期三年的设施项目，以进一步开发和扩展OpenTopography门户（http://www.opentopography.org），提供高性能、基于互联网的访问大量高分辨率机载和地面激光雷达地形数据集，并生成衍生数据产品。概念验证OpenTopo门户（OpenTopo）是通过NSF/信息技术研究和EAR/地理信息学支持圣地亚哥超级计算机中心开发的，作为GEON项目的一部分。该门户目前托管和分发的数据集数量有限，这些数据集是由美国国家科学基金会/EAR支持的佛罗里达大学国家航空激光测绘中心（NCALM）以及美国地质调查局和美国宇航局资助的研究获得的。这种支持将通过以下方式实现对大量现有和未来LIDAR数据的重大升级和同化：1)提供多种格式的基于互联网的LIDAR地形数据访问，包括“原始”格式。点云数据、标准激光雷达派生的dem以及易于访问的谷歌Earth产品；2)与现有的激光雷达地形数据提供商和主机（例如，NCALM， USGS，区域联盟，州等）开展额外的合作，以链接到他们的数据档案和/或通过免费访问的网络界面托管和分发他们的数据和处理软件算法。基于激光雷达（光距离和测距）方法（机载和地面）的高分辨率数字高程模型对地球科学、环境和工程应用具有革命性意义。这些数据是研究裸露地球表面、植被覆盖和土木结构的最有力工具之一。机载激光雷达（或机载激光测绘- ALSM）能够生成数字高程模型（dem），其分辨率比目前美国地质勘探局数字化地貌图或航天飞机雷达地形任务产品的分辨率高一个数量级以上，能够以相对较低的成本获得大面积的米级分辨率、分米精度高程数据集。地面或地面激光扫描仪（TLS）为特定目标提供更精细的分辨率映射。这些数据能够在精细尺度和范围上研究地表过程，这在以前是不可能的，但对于理解它们运行的尺度上的过程（例如，侵蚀，山坡蠕变）是必不可少的。OpenTopo将通过一个免费的门户网站，为最终用户提供海量的激光雷达数据集和产品。

0930643ArrowsmithThis collaborative grant to the Arizona State University and San Diego Supercomputer Center (PI: Baru/EAR-0930731) will support a three year Facility project to further develop and scale up the OpenTopography Portal (http://www.opentopography.org) for provision of high-performance, internet-based access to large volumes of high-resolution airborne and ground-based LIDAR topographic data sets and generation of derived data products. The proof-of-concept OpenTopography Portal (OpenTopo) was developed through NSF/Information Technology Research and EAR/Geoinformatics support to the San Diego Supercomputer Center as part of the GEON Project. That portal currently hosts and distributes a limited number of data sets acquired through the NSF/EAR supported National Center for Airborne Laser Swath Mapping (NCALM) at the University of Florida and from USGS and NASA-funded research. This support will enable significant upgrades and assimilation of large volumes of extant and future LIDAR data through: 1) provision of internet-based access to LIDAR topography data in multiple formats, including ?raw? point cloud data, standard LIDAR-derived DEMs, and easily accessible Google Earth products; and 2) development of additional collaborations with existing LIDAR topography data providers and hosts (e.g., NCALM, USGS, regional consortia, states, etc.) to link to their data archives and/or to host and distribute their data and processing software algorithms through a freely accessible web-interface. High-resolution digital elevation models derived from LIDAR (Light Distance And Ranging) methods (both airborne and ground-based) have been revolutionary for Earth science, environmental, and engineering applications. These data are among the most powerful tools available for study of the bare Earth surface, vegetative cover, and civil structures. Capable of generating digital elevation models (DEMs) more than an order of magnitude better resolved than those currently available from digitized USGS topo maps or from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission products, airborne LIDAR (or airborne laser swath mapping - ALSM) provides the ability to acquire meter-scale resolution, decimeter accuracy elevation data sets over large areas at relatively low expense. Ground-based or terrestrial laser scanners (TLS) offers even finer resolution mapping for specific targets. These data enable research on surface processes at fine scales and extents not previously possible yet essential for understanding processes (e.g., erosion, hillslope creep) at the scales at which they operate. OpenTopo will address the challenge of making massive LIDAR data sets and products readily accessible to end users through a freely accessible web-portal.