Testing a multispectral full waveform lidar for vegetation canopy characterization

地面激光扫描仪（TLS）通过对关键生物物理变量进行快速、半自动的测量，具有前所未有的精度水平，有可能彻底改变植被冠层结构的测量。通过使用轻便、坚固的现场便携式设备，记录几分钟内记录的数百万个激光样品点的背散射能量，可以确定诸如叶面积指数、定向间隙分数、聚集指数和垂直叶分布等变量。最近，申请者利用商业上可用的TLS来测量和模拟森林和林地冠层结构，已经确定了这种测量技术的优点和缺点，最重要的是强调了对背散射激光能量全波形数字化的多光谱激光系统的需求，以充分发挥其潜力。这个概念验证应用程序的目的是开发和测试一个具有全波形数字化的多光谱激光系统，用于表征植被冠层的结构和组成。索尔福德大学（Danson）和Halo Photonics有限公司（Pearson）目前正在开发第一台定制的多光谱半球扫描激光器，用于植被冠层表征。该野外便携式系统将记录第一和最后两个脉冲，初始激光波长为1550 nm和1040nm，分别在中红外和近红外波段探测植被成分（叶、针、茎、枝）的光谱反射率差异。该系统的开发由大学通过其资本投资基金提供支持，其中一小部分来自Halo Photonics研发预算。为了实现这一概念验证的目标，我们建议在开发该系统的同时，开发一个多光谱全波形原型，以测试该系统是否能够比目前的离散返回系统提取更准确的植被冠层特征三维信息。这一概念验证的三个要素是：(i)测试基于计划离散返回系统类似组件的全波形数字化和信号处理模块，（ii）在Lewis， Disney和Hancock的工作基础上对多光谱全波形激光扫描仪进行基于模型的模拟，以及（iii）在静态模式下使用系统，在一系列植被目标和校准对象上。为了验证模型的有效性，测试模型反演的潜力。

Terrestrial laser scanners (TLS) have the potential to revolutionise measurement of vegetation canopy structure by making rapid, semi-automatic measurements of key biophysical variables with unprecedented levels of accuracy. Variables like leaf area index, directional gap fraction, clumping index and vertical foliage distribution can be determined by recording the backscattered energy from several million laser sample points recorded within a few minutes using lightweight, rugged and field portable devices. Recent research by the applicants to measure and model forest and woodland canopy structure, using commercially available TLS, has identified the strengths and weaknesses of this measurement technique and most significantly has highlighted to the need for multispectral laser systems with full waveform digitization of the backscattered laser energy to realize its full potential. The objective of this Proof of Concept application is to develop and test a multispectral laser system with full waveform digitization for characterizing vegetation canopy structure and composition. University of Salford (Danson) and Halo Photonics Ltd. (Pearson) are currently developing the first custom-built multispectral hemispherical scanning laser for vegetation canopy characterization. This field-portable system will record two returns, first and last pulse and operate at laser wavelengths of 1550 and 1040nm initially, to exploit spectral reflectance differences in vegetation components (leaves, needles, stems, branches) in the middle infrared and near infrared respectively. The development of the system is supported by the University through its Capital Investment fund with a small allocation from the Halo Photonics R&D budget. To achieve the objectives of this Proof of Concept it is proposed that, in parallel with the development of this system, a multispectral full waveform prototype will be developed in order to test whether such a system may be capable of extracting more accurate three-dimensional information on vegetation canopy characteristics than the current discrete-return systems. The three elements to this proof of concept are (i) testing a full waveform digitization and signal processing module based similar components of the planned discrete return system, (ii) performing model-based simulations of a multispectral full waveform laser scanner building on the work done by Lewis, Disney and Hancock, and (iii), using the system in static mode, on a range of vegetation targets and calibration objects, in order to validate the model and test the potential for model inversion.