GeoEarthScope Northern California Airborne LiDAR Data Available for Download

The entire San Andreas fault system has now been imaged utilizing GeoEarthScope Northern California Airborne LiDAR Data, along with many other important geologic features, and is available for download via the GEON Portal. This entire dataset is now 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.

There are two ways to select the tiles: 1) Use the Google Maps-based interface accessible in the GEON Portal (www.geongrid.org, click on "Enter the GEON Portal"), 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.

This was the first of a series of large scale GeoEarthScope LiDAR acquisition projects, and in April 2008 extensive high resolution LiDAR data in southern and eastern California was acquired, 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.

Questions or concerns may be directed to Chris Crosby, GEON LiDAR Project Manager, at 'ccrosby@sdsc.edu'.

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.