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Lidar for Environmental Remote Sensing: Theory and Application

A special issue of Remote Sensing (ISSN 2072-4292). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Remote Sensing".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 17158

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Geography and the Environment, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76201, USA
Interests: remote sensing; geographic information science; lidar applications; earth science
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Geography, Yunnan Normal University, 298 December First Street (121 Street), Kunming 650092, China
Interests: remote sensing; LiDAR applications; forestry; physical geography; ecology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The past decade has witnessed the rapid development of lidar systems and their applications in various fields, from archaeology to forestry to geomorphology. The use of advanced computational methods has also greatly facilitated applications of lidar data. Lidar has become a very important component of environmental remote sensing.

This Special Issue welcomes studies covering theoretical modeling, data processing, and applications of spaceborne, airborne, and ground-based lidar systems. Articles may address, but are not limited to, the following topics:

  • Theoretical modeling/simulation of lidar returns from Earth’s surface features.
  • Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) lidar applications.
  • Forest ecology.
  • Vegetation mapping and biomass.
  • Biodiversity and wildlife.
  • Carbon cycle/sequestration.
  • Land cover change analysis.
  • Urban environments.
  • Disaster damage assessment.
  • Terrain analysis.
  • Geology and geomorphology.
  • Surveying and mapping.
  • Archaeological survey.

Prof. Dr. Pinliang Dong
Prof. Dr. Jinliang Wang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Remote Sensing is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • LiDAR
  • modeling
  • UAV
  • terrestrial laser scanning
  • forestry
  • urban environment
  • earth science
  • archaeology

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 9637 KiB  
Article
Laser Backscattering Analytical Model of Doppler Power Spectra about Convex Quadric Bodies of Revolution during Precession
by Yanhui Li, Hua Zhao, Ruochen Huang, Geng Zhang, Hangtian Zhou, Chenglin Han and Lu Bai
Remote Sens. 2024, 16(6), 1104; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16061104 - 21 Mar 2024
Viewed by 530
Abstract
In the realm of ballistic target analysis, micro-motion attributes, such as warhead precession, nutation, and decoy oscillations, play a pivotal role. This paper addresses these critical aspects by introducing an advanced analytical model for assessing the Doppler power spectra of convex quadric revolution [...] Read more.
In the realm of ballistic target analysis, micro-motion attributes, such as warhead precession, nutation, and decoy oscillations, play a pivotal role. This paper addresses these critical aspects by introducing an advanced analytical model for assessing the Doppler power spectra of convex quadric revolution bodies during precession. Our model is instrumental in calculating the Doppler shifts pertinent to both precession and swing cones. Additionally, it extends to delineate the Doppler power spectra for configurations involving cones and sphere–cone combinations. A key aspect of our study is the exploration of the effects exerted by geometric parameters and observation angles on the Doppler spectra, offering a comparative perspective of various micro-motion forms. The simulations distinctly demonstrate how different micro-motion patterns of a cone influence the Doppler power spectra and underscore the significance of geometric parameters and observational angles in shaping these spectra. This research not only contributes to enhancing LIDAR target identification methodologies but also lays a groundwork for future explorations into complex micro-motions like nutation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lidar for Environmental Remote Sensing: Theory and Application)
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18 pages, 6187 KiB  
Article
Individual-Tree Segmentation from UAV–LiDAR Data Using a Region-Growing Segmentation and Supervoxel-Weighted Fuzzy Clustering Approach
by Yuwen Fu, Yifang Niu, Li Wang and Wang Li
Remote Sens. 2024, 16(4), 608; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16040608 - 06 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1057
Abstract
Accurate individual-tree segmentation is essential for precision forestry. In previous studies, the canopy height model-based method was convenient to process, but its performance was limited owing to the loss of 3D information, and point-based methods usually had high computational costs. Although some hybrid [...] Read more.
Accurate individual-tree segmentation is essential for precision forestry. In previous studies, the canopy height model-based method was convenient to process, but its performance was limited owing to the loss of 3D information, and point-based methods usually had high computational costs. Although some hybrid methods have been proposed to solve the above problems, most canopy height model-based methods are used to detect subdominant trees in one coarse crown and disregard the over-segmentation and accurate segmentation of the crown boundaries. This study introduces a combined approach, tested for the first time, for treetop detection and tree crown segmentation using UAV–LiDAR data. First, a multiscale adaptive local maximum filter was proposed to detect treetops accurately, and a Dalponte region-growing method was introduced to achieve crown delineation. Then, based on the coarse-crown result, the mean-shift voxelization and supervoxel-weighted fuzzy c-means clustering method were used to identify the constrained region of each tree. Finally, accurate individual-tree point clouds were obtained. The experiment was conducted using a synthetic uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV)–LiDAR dataset with 21 approximately 30 × 30 m plots and an actual UAV–LiDAR dataset. To evaluate the performance of the proposed method, the accuracy of the remotely sensed biophysical observations and retrieval frameworks was determined using the tree location, tree height, and crown area. The results show that the proposed method was efficient and outperformed other existing methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lidar for Environmental Remote Sensing: Theory and Application)
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16 pages, 5457 KiB  
Article
Edge Effects in Amazon Forests: Integrating Remote Sensing and Modelling to Assess Changes in Biomass and Productivity
by Luise Bauer, Andreas Huth, André Bogdanowski, Michael Müller and Rico Fischer
Remote Sens. 2024, 16(3), 501; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16030501 - 28 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1426
Abstract
The tropical forests in the Amazon store large amounts of carbon and are still considered a carbon sink. There is evidence that deforestation can turn a forest landscape into a carbon source due to land use and forest degradation. Deforestation causes fragmented forest [...] Read more.
The tropical forests in the Amazon store large amounts of carbon and are still considered a carbon sink. There is evidence that deforestation can turn a forest landscape into a carbon source due to land use and forest degradation. Deforestation causes fragmented forest landscapes. It is known from field experiments that forest dynamics at the edge of forest fragments are altered by changes in the microclimate and increased tree mortality (“edge effects”). However, it is unclear how this will affect large fragmented forest landscapes, and thus the entire Amazon region. The aim of this study is to investigate different forest attributes in edge and core forest areas at high resolution, and thus to identify the large-scale impacts of small-scale edge effects. Therefore, a well-established framework combining forest modelling and lidar-generated forest structure information was combined with radar-based forest cover data. Furthermore, forests were also analyzed at the landscape level to investigate changes between highly fragmented and less-fragmented landscapes. This study found that the aboveground biomass in forest edge areas is 27% lower than in forest core areas. In contrast, the net primary productivity is 13% higher in forest edge areas than in forest core areas. In the second step, whole fragmented landscapes were analyzed. Nearly 30% of all forest landscapes are highly fragmented, particularly in the regions of the Arc of Deforestation, on the edge of the Andes and on the Amazon river banks. Less-fragmented landscapes are mainly located in the central Amazon rainforest. The aboveground biomass is 28% lower in highly fragmented forest landscapes than in less-fragmented landscapes. The net primary productivity is 13% higher in highly fragmented forest landscapes than in less-fragmented forest landscapes. In summary, fragmentation of the Amazon rainforest has an impact on forest attributes such as biomass and productivity, with mostly negative effects on forest dynamics. If deforestation continues and the proportion of highly fragmented forest landscapes increase, the effect may be even more intense. By combining lidar, radar and forest modelling, this study shows that it is possible to map forest structure, and thus the degree of forest degradation, over a large area and derive more detailed information about the carbon dynamics of the Amazon region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lidar for Environmental Remote Sensing: Theory and Application)
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18 pages, 14043 KiB  
Article
Airborne LiDAR Strip Adjustment Method Based on Point Clouds with Planar Neighborhoods
by Zhenxing Sun, Ruofei Zhong, Qiong Wu and Jiao Guo
Remote Sens. 2023, 15(23), 5447; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15235447 - 22 Nov 2023
Viewed by 862
Abstract
Airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data are increasingly used in various fields such as topographic mapping, urban planning, and emergency management. A necessary processing step in the application of airborne LiDAR data is the elimination of mismatch errors. This paper proposes a [...] Read more.
Airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data are increasingly used in various fields such as topographic mapping, urban planning, and emergency management. A necessary processing step in the application of airborne LiDAR data is the elimination of mismatch errors. This paper proposes a new method for airborne LiDAR strip adjustment based on point clouds with planar neighborhoods; this method is intended to eliminate errors in airborne LiDAR point clouds. Initially, standard pre-processing tasks such as denoising, ground separation, and resampling are performed on the airborne LiDAR point clouds. Subsequently, this paper introduces a unique approach to extract point clouds with planar neighborhoods which is designed to enhance the registration accuracy of the iterative closest point (ICP) algorithm within the context of airborne LiDAR point clouds. Following the registration of the point clouds using the ICP algorithm, tie points are extracted via a point-to-plane projection method. Finally, a strip adjustment calculation is executed using the extracted tie points, in accordance with the strip adjustment equation for airborne LiDAR point clouds that was derived in this study. Three sets of airborne LiDAR point cloud data were utilized in the experiment outlined in this paper. The results indicate that the proposed strip adjustment method can effectively eliminate mismatch errors in airborne LiDAR point clouds, achieving a registration accuracy and absolute accuracy of 0.05 m. Furthermore, this method’s processing efficiency was more than five times higher than that of traditional methods such as ICP and LS3D. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lidar for Environmental Remote Sensing: Theory and Application)
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18 pages, 8328 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Tree-Growth Rate in the Laurentides Wildlife Reserve Using GEDI and Airborne-LiDAR Data
by Adriana Parra and Marc Simard
Remote Sens. 2023, 15(22), 5352; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15225352 - 14 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1049
Abstract
Loss of forest cover and derived effects on forest ecosystems services has led to the establishment of land management policies and forest monitoring systems, and consequently to the demand for accurate and multitemporal data on forest extent and structure. In recent years, spaceborne [...] Read more.
Loss of forest cover and derived effects on forest ecosystems services has led to the establishment of land management policies and forest monitoring systems, and consequently to the demand for accurate and multitemporal data on forest extent and structure. In recent years, spaceborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) missions, such as the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) instrument, have facilitated the repeated acquisition of data on the vertical structure of vegetation. In this study, we designed an approach incorporating GEDI and airborne LiDAR data, in addition to detailed forestry inventory data, for estimating tree-growth dynamics for the Laurentides wildlife reserve in Canada. We estimated an average tree-growth rate of 0.32 ± 0.23 (SD) m/year for the study site and evaluated our results against field data and a time series of NDVI from Landsat images. The results are in agreement with expected patterns in tree-growth rates related to tree species and forest stand age, and the produced dataset is able to track disturbance events resulting in the loss of canopy height. Our study demonstrates the benefits of using spaceborne-LiDAR data for extending the temporal coverage of forestry inventories and highlights the ability of GEDI data for detecting changes in forests’ vertical structure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lidar for Environmental Remote Sensing: Theory and Application)
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18 pages, 5987 KiB  
Article
Research on Landslide Trace Recognition by Fusing UAV-Based LiDAR DEM Multi-Feature Information
by Lei Han, Ping Duan, Jiajia Liu and Jia Li
Remote Sens. 2023, 15(19), 4755; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15194755 - 28 Sep 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 918
Abstract
Landslide traces are crucial geomorphological features of landslides. Through the recognition of landslide traces, a better grasp of the topographical features of landslides can be achieved, thereby aiding in the enhancement of capabilities for the prevention, response, and management of landslides. Aiming at [...] Read more.
Landslide traces are crucial geomorphological features of landslides. Through the recognition of landslide traces, a better grasp of the topographical features of landslides can be achieved, thereby aiding in the enhancement of capabilities for the prevention, response, and management of landslides. Aiming at the complex topographic features of landslide traces, only using a single DEM product could provide a complete and comprehensive recognition of landslide traces. A method of landslide tracing recognition based on the fusion of multi-feature information from the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-based Light Detection and Ranging (UAV-based LiDAR) Digital Elevation Model (DEM) is proposed. First, a high-precision DEM is constructed by using the LiDAR point cloud data. Based on the DEM, four multi-feature images that can enhance the landslide geomorphology are generated: hillshading, slope, positive openness, and sky-view factor. Furtherore, the DEM multi-feature images were fused using the Visualization for Archaeological Topography (VAT) method to obtain the DEM Multi-Feature Fusion Image (DEM-DFFI). Finally, the landslide traces were extracted from the DEM-DFFI based on fractal theory. The method presented in this paper makes full use of DEM multi-feature images and fuses them, which can accurately and clearly show the topographic and geomorphological features of landslides. Based on this, it helps improve landslide trace recognition accuracy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lidar for Environmental Remote Sensing: Theory and Application)
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21 pages, 16178 KiB  
Article
RSS-LIWOM: Rotating Solid-State LiDAR for Robust LiDAR-Inertial-Wheel Odometry and Mapping
by Shunjie Gong, Chenghao Shi, Hui Zhang, Huimin Lu, Zhiwen Zeng and Xieyuanli Chen
Remote Sens. 2023, 15(16), 4040; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15164040 - 15 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1377
Abstract
Solid-state LiDAR offers multiple advantages over mechanism mechanical LiDAR, including higher durability, improved coverage ratio, and lower prices. However, solid-state LiDARs typically possess a narrow field of view, making them less suitable for odometry and mapping systems, especially for mobile autonomous systems. To [...] Read more.
Solid-state LiDAR offers multiple advantages over mechanism mechanical LiDAR, including higher durability, improved coverage ratio, and lower prices. However, solid-state LiDARs typically possess a narrow field of view, making them less suitable for odometry and mapping systems, especially for mobile autonomous systems. To address this issue, we propose a novel rotating solid-state LiDAR system that incorporates a servo motor to continuously rotate the solid-state LiDAR, expanding the horizontal field of view to 360°. Additionally, we propose a multi-sensor fusion odometry and mapping algorithm for our developed sensory system that integrates an IMU, wheel encoder, motor encoder and the LiDAR into an iterated Kalman filter to obtain a robust odometry estimation. Through comprehensive experiments, we demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed approach in both outdoor open environments and narrow indoor environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lidar for Environmental Remote Sensing: Theory and Application)
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16 pages, 6517 KiB  
Article
Research on the Adaptability of Typical Denoising Algorithms Based on ICESat-2 Data
by Mengyun Kui, Yunna Xu, Jinliang Wang and Feng Cheng
Remote Sens. 2023, 15(15), 3884; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15153884 - 05 Aug 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1247
Abstract
Photon-counting light detection and ranging (LiDAR) emits and receives weak photon signals, which are easily mixed with background noise caused by the sun, the atmosphere, etc., and is thus difficult to distinguish. Therefore, point-cloud denoising is a key step in point-cloud data processing [...] Read more.
Photon-counting light detection and ranging (LiDAR) emits and receives weak photon signals, which are easily mixed with background noise caused by the sun, the atmosphere, etc., and is thus difficult to distinguish. Therefore, point-cloud denoising is a key step in point-cloud data processing of photon-counting LiDAR. To explore the adaptability of different denoising algorithms for photon-counting LiDAR data in different times and spaces, in this paper, NASA’s official differential, regressive and Gaussian adaptive nearest neighbor (DRAGANN) algorithm; Herzfeld’s radial basis function (RBF) denoising algorithm; and the density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) algorithm based on density clustering are used to denoise the ICESat-2 ATL03 photon point-cloud data. Airborne LiDAR data are used to verify the denoising accuracy, and then the adaptability of the three algorithms is discussed. The results show that the DRAGANN algorithm is suitable for data with moderate Fraction Vegetation Coverage (FVC) (45–75%) at night and is less affected by slope; therefore, it is not limited to terrain slope. The denoising accuracy of the RBF algorithm decreases with increasing FVC and decreases with increasing slope. It is suitable for data with low terrain slope (0~55°) and low FVC (0~220°), which is less affected by observation time; therefore, it is suitable for all-day data. The DBSCAN algorithm is suitable for data with moderate FVC (45~75%) at night, regardless of terrain slope. Unlike the DRAGANN algorithm, the DBSCAN algorithm is greatly affected by solar noise photons, but at night, its denoising accuracy is higher than that of the DRAGANN algorithm. The research results have certain reference significance for the subsequent processing and application of ICESat-2 data. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lidar for Environmental Remote Sensing: Theory and Application)
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19 pages, 4803 KiB  
Article
Designing CW Range-Resolved Environmental S-Lidars for Various Range Scales: From a Tabletop Test Bench to a 10 km Path
by Ravil Agishev, Zhenzhu Wang and Dong Liu
Remote Sens. 2023, 15(13), 3426; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15133426 - 06 Jul 2023
Viewed by 778
Abstract
In recent years, the applications of lidars for remote sensing of the environment have been expanding and deepening. Among them, continuous-wave (CW) range-resolved (RR) S-lidars (S comes from Scheimpflug) have proven to be a new and promising class of non-contact and non-perturbing laser [...] Read more.
In recent years, the applications of lidars for remote sensing of the environment have been expanding and deepening. Among them, continuous-wave (CW) range-resolved (RR) S-lidars (S comes from Scheimpflug) have proven to be a new and promising class of non-contact and non-perturbing laser sensors. They use low-power CW diode lasers, an unconventional depth-of-field extension technique and the latest advances in nanophotonic technologies to realize compact and cost-effective remote sensors. The purpose of this paper is to propose a generalized methodology to justify the selection of a set of non-energetic S-lidar parameters for a wide range of applications and distance scales, from a bench-top test bed to a 10-km path. To set the desired far and near borders of operating range by adjusting the optical transceiver, it was shown how to properly select the lens plane and image plane tilt angles, as well as the focal length, the lidar base, etc. For a generalized analysis of characteristic relations between S-lidar parameters, we introduced several dimensionless factors and criteria applicable to different range scales, including an S-lidar-specific magnification factor, angular function, dynamic range, “one and a half” condition, range-domain quality factor, etc. It made possible to show how to reasonably select named and dependent non-energetic parameters, adapting them to specific applications. Finally, we turned to the synthesis task by demonstrating ways to achieve a compromise between a wide dynamic range and high range resolution requirements. The results of the conducted analysis and synthesis allow increasing the validity of design solutions for further promotion of S-lidars for environmental remote sensing and their better adaptation to a broad spectrum of specific applications and range scales. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lidar for Environmental Remote Sensing: Theory and Application)
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18 pages, 19844 KiB  
Article
Off-Road Drivable Area Detection: A Learning-Based Approach Exploiting LiDAR Reflection Texture Information
by Chuanchuan Zhong, Bowen Li and Tao Wu
Remote Sens. 2023, 15(1), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15010027 - 21 Dec 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2177
Abstract
The detection of drivable areas in off-road scenes is a challenging problem due to the presence of unstructured class boundaries, irregular features, and dust noise. Three-dimensional LiDAR data can effectively describe the terrain features, and a bird’s eye view (BEV) not only shows [...] Read more.
The detection of drivable areas in off-road scenes is a challenging problem due to the presence of unstructured class boundaries, irregular features, and dust noise. Three-dimensional LiDAR data can effectively describe the terrain features, and a bird’s eye view (BEV) not only shows these features, but also retains the relative size of the environment compared to the forward viewing. In this paper, a method called LRTI, which is used for detecting drivable areas based on the texture information of LiDAR reflection data, is proposed. By using an instance segmentation network to learn the texture information, the drivable areas are obtained. Furthermore, a multi-frame fusion strategy is applied to improve the reliability of the output, and a shelter’s mask of a dynamic object is added to the neural network to reduce the perceptual delay caused by multi-frame fusion. Through TensorRT quantization, LRTI achieves real-time processing on the unmanned ground vehicle (UGV). The experiments on our dataset show the robustness and adaptability of LRTI to sand dust and occluded scenes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lidar for Environmental Remote Sensing: Theory and Application)
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25 pages, 8521 KiB  
Article
Planar Constraint Assisted LiDAR SLAM Algorithm Based on Manhattan World Assumption
by Haiyang Wu, Wei Wu, Xingyu Qi, Chaohong Wu, Lina An and Ruofei Zhong
Remote Sens. 2023, 15(1), 15; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15010015 - 21 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1904
Abstract
Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) technology based on light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors has been widely used in various environmental sensing tasks indoors and outdoors. However, it still lacks effective constraints in structured environments such as corridors and parking lots, and its [...] Read more.
Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) technology based on light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors has been widely used in various environmental sensing tasks indoors and outdoors. However, it still lacks effective constraints in structured environments such as corridors and parking lots, and its accuracy needs improvement. Based on this, a planar constraint-assisted LiDAR SLAM algorithm based on the Manhattan World (MW) assumption is proposed in this paper. The algorithm extracts planes from the environment point cloud submap, classifies the planes according to the ground and vertical planes, and calculates the main direction angles of the ground and vertical plane, respectively, to construct constraints. To enhance the stability and robustness of the system, a two-step main direction angle calculation and update strategy are designed, and a hysteresis update is used to avoid the introduction of errors by unoptimized planes. This paper uses a backpack laser scanning system to collect experimental data in various scenes. These data are used to compare our method with three open-source LiDAR SLAM algorithms, that are currently more widely used and perform better. Qualitative and quantitative experiments are conducted to verify the effectiveness of our method. The experimental results show that the absolute accuracy of the point clouds obtained by our method is improved by 77.46% on average compared with the other three algorithms in the environment, conforming to the MW assumption, which verifies the effectiveness of the algorithm. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lidar for Environmental Remote Sensing: Theory and Application)
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20 pages, 8686 KiB  
Article
Mapping of Forest Biomass in Shangri-La City Based on LiDAR Technology and Other Remote Sensing Data
by Yuncheng Deng, Jiya Pan, Jinliang Wang, Qianwei Liu and Jianpeng Zhang
Remote Sens. 2022, 14(22), 5816; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14225816 - 17 Nov 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1619
Abstract
Forest ecosystems can be regarded as huge carbon sinks. In order to effectively assess carbon balance in such ecosystems, rapid and accurate estimation of the aboveground biomass of a forest is critically needed. However, the current methods for biomass estimation and mapping are [...] Read more.
Forest ecosystems can be regarded as huge carbon sinks. In order to effectively assess carbon balance in such ecosystems, rapid and accurate estimation of the aboveground biomass of a forest is critically needed. However, the current methods for biomass estimation and mapping are of limited spatial resolution and mostly depend on large numbers of measurements. In order to obtain better biomass estimation outcomes with higher spatial resolution, a rapid method is introduced for region-scale biomass estimation in alpine and canyon areas using space-borne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data and optical remote-sensing images. Specifically, we explored alpine and canyon areas in Shangri-La City in China using space-borne LiDAR data from ICESAT-2 and optical remote-sensing images from Landsat8 OLI, Sentinel-2, and Microwave remote sensing Sentinel-1. An extrapolation model of the forest canopy heights in these areas was constructed with a 30-m resolution of continuous canopy height outputs. For continuously estimating the diameter at breast height (DBH) in Shangri-La City, a tree height-DBH growth model was constructed based on the LiDAR and remote-sensing measurements. Finally, based on the average DBH of the explored forests, a model was constructed for estimating and mapping the aboveground biomass and carbon storage in Shangri-La with a spatial resolution of 30 m. The results show that the forest canopy height in Shangri-La City is mainly in the range of 2.82–30.96 m, and that the estimation accuracy is verified by the LiDAR-based canopy height model (CHM) with a coefficient of determination of R2 = 0.7143. The inversion results were still largely affected by geospatial location factors (longitude, latitude), terrain factors (slope, elevation), and vegetation indices (NBR, NDGI, NDVI). Based on the relationship between the tree height and the DBH, the DBH of trees in Shangri-La City was estimated to be mainly in the range of 20 cm to 30 cm, and this estimate was verified by actual measurements with R2 greater than 0.7 all. Finally, the established model estimated the aboveground forest biomass and carbon storage of the study area of Shangri-La City in 2020 to be 1.28 × 108 t and 6.41 × 107 t, respectively. These estimates correspond to total accuracies of 92.28%, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lidar for Environmental Remote Sensing: Theory and Application)
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