NCALM releases Google Earth-based LIDAR Data Distribution Center

Today, Ionut Iordache announced the release of NCALM's new Google Earth-based LiDAR Data Distribution Center. This new system is much improved over NCALM's former means of distributing their public datasets and is likely to be very popular and successful. Via a simple KML file downloaded from the DDC webpage, users can access footprints showing the extent of all datasets currently available, metadata, links to download standard digital elevation model products, and hillshade overlays that can be viewed directly in Google Earth.

I am currently working with Ionut to provide an overview of NCALM data on the OpenTopography Data Overview map as well as links to download the NCALM file directly from OpenTopography. This collaboration will be the first step towards bring together access to the various public domain LiDAR topography data via the OpenTopography Portal.

Full email announcement:

We are pleased to announce the upgrade of NCALM’s Data Distribution Center (DDC) to a new Google Earth-based interface that will allow you faster and better access to all of our public LiDAR datasets.

This new interface, developed by NCALM at UC Berkeley, gives you the opportunity to explore our LiDAR datasets before making any download by visualizing the full resolution (1m) shaded relief maps on-the-fly as Google Earth geo-rectified image overlays (both the bare-earth as well as the “unfiltered” shaded relief maps, where available).

The compressed (zip) data tiles are provided in ArcInfo raster format and can be downloaded by visually selecting the tile footprint in Google Earth or batch downloaded for an entire project by accessing a special page (that lists all available data files) and using your favorite download manager program.

The DDC KML file can be stored on your computer for off-line browsing and accessing the meta-data.

You can access the Google Earth KML file and a short tutorial on how to use the interface at this URL:

http://ncalm.berkeley.edu
Check back soon on our DDC KML as we’re in the process of publishing more public LiDAR datasets from NCALM’s 2007 campaign as well as NSF seed money student projects.

PS: I apologize in advance if you receive this message multiple times.

Best Regards,
Ionut Iordache