RAPID: Request for Ground-Verification of the Luquillo Critical Zone Observatory LIDAR Overflight

该项目将是卢基洛临界区天文台(LCZO)上空机载激光雷达数据收集的地面核查活动。这项空中LiDAR将覆盖LCZO具有代表性的研究分水岭，并从美国林业局的Luquillo实验森林延伸到周围的沿海地区。在航空数据收集期间，一套精心定位的(使用GPS)生物物理测量，如树木直径、树冠封闭度、叶面积指数和树冠高度，将使从LiDAR点云更有效地模拟流域地形和过程。由于飞越计划于2010年夏天进行，地面核查活动必须同时进行。机载激光雷达与雷达相似，不同之处在于它的工作波长要短得多，以探测小范围的地形变化。然而，为了达到最有效的效果，必须同时进行地面测量，以绘制相关特征，如植被高度和类型，因为激光雷达信号将从树冠顶部和地面接收。该项目将在卢基洛临界区天文台完成这项任务，以确保这个由美国国家科学基金会支持的设施的研究进展能够记录由于气候驱动的风化和侵蚀而导致的流域特征的微小变化。

This project will be a ground verification campaign for airborne LiDAR data gathering over the Luquillo Critical Zone Observatory (LCZO). This airborne LiDAR will cover representative research watersheds of the LCZO and extend from the US Forest Service Luquillo Experimental Forest to the surrounding coastal areas. During the airborne data collection a complete set of carefully located (using GPS) biophysical measurements, such as diameter of trees, canopy closure, leaf-area index, and crown height will enable a much more effective modeling of the watershed topography and processes from the LiDAR point cloud. Because the over flight has been scheduled for the summer of 2010, the ground verification campaign must be conducted at the same time. Airborne LiDAR is similar to radar, except that it operates at a much shorter wavelength for detecting small-scale changes in topography. However, to be most effective, ground-based measurements must be done simultaneously to map relevant features such as vegetation height and type, since the LiDAR signal will be received from the top of the tree canopy as well as from the ground. This project will accomplish the task in the Luquillo Critical Zone Observatory to insure that the research progam at this NSF-supported facility will be able to document small changes in watershed characteristics that are the result of climatically-driven weathering and erosion.