G-LiHT Digital Surface Model image, acquired over Flagstaff, AZ on March 21, 2013.
View full-size imageGoddard’s LiDAR, Hyperspectral, and Thermal Imagery (G-LiHT) mission is a portable, airborne imaging system that aims to simultaneously map the composition, structure, and function of terrestrial ecosystems. G-LiHT primarily focuses on a broad diversity of forest communities and ecoregions in North America, mapping aerial swaths over the Conterminous United States (CONUS), Alaska, Puerto Rico, and Mexico.
The purpose of G-LiHT’s Digital Surface Model data product (GLDSMT) is to provide LiDAR-derived visualizations of elevation above bare earth. GLDSMT data is offered in multiple layers, including Digital Surface Model, Mean, Aspect, Rugosity, and Slope.
GLDSMT data are processed as multiple raster data products (GeoTIFFs) at a nominal 1 meter spatial resolution over locally defined areas. A low resolution browse is also provided showing the digital surface model with a color map applied in PNG format.
Metadata for individual flights is available as a pdf file and can be accessed through the Documentation button on this landing page. It contains information related to flight plans, acquisition details, field observations, and instrument specifications.
| Characteristic | Description |
|---|---|
| Collection | G-LiHT |
| DOI | 10.5067/Community/GLIHT/GLDSMT.001 |
| File Size | ~125 MB |
| Temporal Resolution | Varies |
| Temporal Extent | 2011-06-30 to Present |
| Spatial Extent | North America |
| Coordinate System | Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) |
| Datum | World Geodetic System (WGS84) |
| File Format | GeoTIFF |
| Geographic Dimensions | Variable |
| Characteristic | Description |
|---|---|
| Number of Science Dataset (SDS) Layers | 5 |
| Columns/Rows | Variable |
| Pixel Size | 1 m |
| SDS Name | Description | Units | Data Type | Fill Value | No Data Value | Valid Range | Scale Factor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Surface Model | Digital Surface Model | Meters | 32-bit floating point | N/A | NaN | +/-10^38 | N/A |
| Digital Surface Mean | Digital Surface Mean | Meters | 32-bit floating point | N/A | NaN | +/-10^38 | N/A |
| Digital Surface Aspect | Digital Surface Aspect | Meters | 32-bit floating point | N/A | NaN | 0 to 360 | N/A |
| Digital Surface Rugosity | Digital Surface Rugosity | Meters | 32-bit floating point | N/A | NaN | 0 to 17 | N/A |
| Digital Surface Slope | Digital Surface Slope | Meters | 32-bit floating point | N/A | NaN | 0 to 90 | N/A |
Once available, detailed information on quality for the GLDSMT product can be found on the G-LiHT website.