LiDAR and multispectral remote sensing for environmental applications

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Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) is a relatively new remote sensing tool - one which can provide detailed observations of environmental change, biophysical properties, topography, and disturbance processes related to environmental functioning and human-alteration patterns. Environmental scientists and managers need better ways of using these remotely-sensed data; my research program is focussed on this idea of combining airborne LiDAR data with multispectral imagery to create information products that can be used to understand and manage the processes driving environmental change in Canada and worldwide. This work is a fine balance between remote sensing applications-driven research and technology-driven methods development; both are needed to make possible fundamental insights in several environmental earth science disciplines (geomorphology, hydrology, landscape ecology, forest science). New challenges include the development of fusion and texture procedures, and the creation of image analysis methods to estimate geomorphometrics and forest structure, their changes over time, and their likely status (i.e. prediction). This information is necessary to understand processes such as geomorphic controls on landscape evolution (e.g., sediment budget), forest structure and productivity, and a wide variety of environmental management applications that cross geological, ecological, topographical, and all geographical boundaries (e.g., biodiversity). First, there must be fundamental improvements in our knowledge of how image spectral and texture patterns are influenced by human and natural disturbances such as landslides and forest management practices. In continuing this work, I will contribute to the solution of environmental problems, such as natural hazard assessment, by adding to the accumulation of necessary environmental knowledge in key Canadian landscapes. Anyone working with remote sensing in boreal and mountain landscapes, anyone with a large area environmental management issue or problem requiring scientific observations of reflectance, topography, biophysical functioning, ecological indicator, will benefit with access to my results and methods.