[unav_all] GeoEarthScope LiDAR: Complete Northern California dataset now processed and available

[David A. Phillips]

[Note: Jim, please check paragraph formatting before distributing,  
I'm seeing unexplained line spacing sometimes even though it is Plain  
Text - possibly a Word formatting remnant.  thanks, David]

--

We are pleased to announce that all data acquired by the  
GeoEarthScope Northern California Airborne LiDAR project are now  
available for download as tiled DEM files!  The entire dataset has  
now been processed and all data are currently available as 1 km^2  
tiles of 0.5 m digital elevation models - both unfiltered (all data)  
and filtered (bare earth) in ESRI (ArcGIS) binary grid format.   
Complete metadata are also now available for download.  In addition  
to the tiled DEM's, point cloud data are available for approximately  
60% of the dataset for users who wish to download the LiDAR returns  
or generate custom DEMs.  The remaining point data will follow shortly.

There are two ways to select the tiles: 1) Use the Google Maps-based  
interface accessible in the GEON Portal (see below), and 2) Download  
the updated KML file from the GEON Portal and use it in Google Earth  
(if you downloaded an earlier version of the KML, now is time to go  
back and get version 3.0). Both approaches allow users to browse the  
dataset extent, make selections, and then download tiles of interest.  
Point cloud data access and custom DEM generation are available by  
choosing the point cloud option under "Download Options" at the top  
of the NoCal GeoEarthScope portal page.

To access these data, please go to the GEON web site and get a portal  
account if you do not already have one (takes a minute or two: http:// 
www.geongrid.org - click on the big "Enter the GEON Portal" link at  
right and then select "Request an Account").  Once you have obtained  
a portal account, log in and select the "LiDAR" tab at the top of the  
page. Next, choose the "GeoEarthScope Northern California LiDAR  
Project (NoCAL)" link in the list of datasets.  Use the Google Map to  
zoom and navigate to the areas of interest and click on the button  
that appears in the center of the tile of interest.  Or, below the  
Google Map, you can download the KML.

If you encounter problems please send an email to Chris Crosby  
(ccrosby at sdsc.edu).

The GeoEarthScope Northern California LiDAR project acquired high  
resolution airborne laser swath mapping (a.k.a. LiDAR) topography  
data in Spring 2007 along major active faults as part of the  
EarthScope Facility project funded by the National Science Foundation  
(NSF).  Between this project and the previously conducted B4 project,  
also funded by NSF, the entire San Andreas fault system has now been  
imaged with high resolution airborne LiDAR, along with many other  
important geologic features.  This was the first of a series of large  
scale GeoEarthScope LiDAR acquisition projects, and in April 2008 we  
acquired extensive high resolution LiDAR data in southern and eastern  
California, including features such as the Garlock and Elsinore  
faults, as well as the Yakima Fold and Thrust Belt in the Pacific  
Northwest.  These data are currently being processed and will become  
available to the community in a few months.  Next week, the final  
GeoEarthScope ALSM field campaign will begin and we will image  
features in Yellowstone, Teton, Nephi and Alaska.

EarthScope is funded by NSF and conducted in partnership with the  
USGS and NASA. GeoEarthScope is a component of EarthScope that  
includes the acquisition of aerial and satellite imagery and  
geochronology.  GeoEarthScope is managed at UNAVCO.

Best regards,

David Phillips and the GeoEarthScope LiDAR team


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:

Primary funding agency
	 --National Science Foundation
Project management

	--UNAVCO

Other funding sources (for supplementary targets)

	--USGS Earthquake and National Cooperative Geologic Mapping

Programs

          --San Francisco Public Utilities Commission

          --Pacific Gas & Electric Company

          --City of Berkeley

Data acquisition, processing and distribution

          --National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping (NCALM): LiDAR  
data collection and processing

          --Ohio State University (OSU): GPS data collection and  
processing

          --USGS Menlo Park: extensive logistical and administrative  
support, GPS data collection

          --Volunteers and students from local institutions: GPS  
collection

          --Arizona State University (ASU): data distribution and  
analysis tools

          --San Diego Super Computer Facility (SDSC): data  
distribution and analysis tools

--
   David A. Phillips, Ph.D.
   GeoEarthScope Project Manager
   UNAVCO
   6350 Nautilus Drive, Boulder, CO 80301
   Tel: 303-381-7471, Fax: 303-381-7451
   phillips at unavco.org
   www.unavco.org/geoearthscope