[unav_all] community TLS grant proposal, AGU TLS activities - invitation to participate

[Meghan Miller]

UNAVCO Community,

We would like to invite you to participate in the following UNAVCO  
activities related to Terrestrial Laser Scaning (TLS), a.k.a. ground- 
based LiDAR:

1) resources currently available for community use,

2)  plans to submit an NSF MRI proposal in January 2009 to expand the  
community TLS instrument pool, and

3) scheduled TLS activities at the Fall AGU meeting.



1.  CURRENT TLS RESOURCES.  TLS instrumentation and data analysis  
software tools are currently available for community use from UNAVCO.   
Available instruments include a Riegl LPM 3800 VHS scanner available  
via the INTERFACE consortium, an Optech Ilris 3D scanner available via  
the University of New Mexico LiDAR Lab (UNMLL) consortium, and an  
Optech Ilris 3D scanner owned by UNAVCO.  TLS support from UNAVCO,  
including equipment and proposal planning support, can be be explored  
and requested at the UNAVCO website: http://facility.unavco.org/project_support/tls/tls.html 
.

2.  FUTURE TLS RESOURCES.  UNAVCO is planning to request funds for the  
procurement of additional TLS instruments to support EAR projects via  
an MRI proposal to NSF due January 22, 2009.  The current UNAVCO owned  
scanner, which was acquired through an MRI proposal to the NSF Office  
of Polar Program last year, is currently fully subscribed and often  
oversubscribed.  It has rarely available for non-polar applications  
during the year.  Scanners available through consortia such as  
INTERFACE and UNMLL are expected to continue to be fully subscribed.   
Moreover, as TLS workflows and data analysis tools become more  
powerful and accessible, the demand for TLS is expected to increase.   
We therefore intend to request funding for ~3 new TLS systems for the  
UNAVCO pool if we can build the partnerships to share the matching  
requirement.  The cost for oneTLS scanner ranges from ~$100K to ~$200K  
depending on the instrument, and the total proposal request will be on  
the order of ~$450K.  There is a 30% cost sharing requirement.  UNAVCO  
is actively seeking partners to help meet the cost sharing  
requirements for each scanner; these partners would have priority  
access to an instrument and benefit from UNAVCO's technical support  
role.

NOTE:  Are you interested in using TLS in your research?  If so, we  
would be delighted to hear from you regarding potential applications  
an projects to help us gauge future TLS support needs.  Please feel  
free to send us an email describing your interest and potential use,  
or track one of us down at AGU.  This would be very helpful!

3.  AGU FALL 2008 MEETING TLS ACTIVITES.  TLS equipment and data  
processing tools and examples will be shown at the UNAVCO booth.  In  
particular, demonstrations of how to produce a 3D point cloud will  
take place on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  More information is  
available athttp://www.unavco.org/edu_outreach/highlights/2008/AGU-2008.html 
.  We would also like to call your attention to sessions G52A and  
G53B, "Ground-Based Geodetic Techniques and Science Applications" I  
and II, on Friday which will include talks and posters illustrating  
TLS applications and results from a wide variety of research  
applications.

Advances in TLS technology and recent compelling applications of TLS  
to Earth science research represent new and exciting opportunities for  
the geoscience community. TLS is based on Light Distance and Ranging  
(LiDAR) and is also referred to as ground-based LiDAR or tripod LiDAR.  
The primary capability of TLS is the generation of high resolution 3- 
dimensional maps and images of surfaces and objects over scales of  
meters to kilometers with centimeter or sub-centimeter precision. This  
allows for high accuracy mapping as well as the determination of  
surface changes over time via repeated measurements. The incorporation  
of GPS measurements provides accurate georeferencing of TLS data in an  
absolute reference frame. The addition of digital photography yields  
photorealistic 3D images. Moreover, TLS systems are portable and  
therefore suitable for a wide spectrum of user applications

  Please come by the UNAVCO booth or contact one of us by cell phone  
at AGU to learn more.

Thank you,

Meghan
**********************
M. Meghan Miller
President, UNAVCO

Cell contacts for AGU:
David Phillips	303-819-8750
Chuck Meertens	303-588-3641
Meghan Miller	720-320-0026

UNAVCO Booth demonstrations for TLS
Wednesday December 17
11am-12pm:   TLS LiDAR Demo-Learn How to Produce a 3D Point Cloud

Thursday December 18
11am-12pm:   TLS LiDAR Demo-Learn How to Produce a 3D Point Cloud

Friday December 19
2-3pm:            TLS LiDAR Demo-Learn How to Produce a 3D Point Cloud
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