Airborne Lidar Snow Depth and Canopy Height Maps from 2017 Flights

Airborne lidar data from NASA's Airborne Snow Observatory and SnowEx campaigns captured snow depth, canopy height, and terrain elevation for three forested sites. Maps cover approximately 0.5 square kilometers each in the Swiss Alps and Colorado, with snow depth measured at two time points about one week apart. The dataset was created by ENVIDAT and analyzed in a 2019 Water Resources Research publication.

Use Cases

• Analyze snow depth variability within forest stands using the snow depth maps from two dates.
• Model canopy interception of snowfall by correlating canopy height maps with underlying snow depth measurements.
• Calibrate satellite-based snow products using high-resolution airborne lidar-derived snow depth data.
• Investigate terrain influence on snow accumulation by comparing snow depth maps with the terrain elevation layer.

Strengths

• Data originates from NASA's Airborne Snow Observatory and SnowEx campaigns, ensuring high-quality lidar acquisition.
• Snow depth is available for two distinct time points separated by one week, enabling change detection.
• Covers three specific forest sites across two continents (Swiss Alps and Colorado, USA).

Limitations

• Spatial coverage is limited to three small areas of about 0.5 square kilometers each.
• Temporal coverage is limited to a brief period in February and March 2017.
• The dataset is derived from specific research flights and may not be representative of other regions or years.

Provenance

Source

NASA's Airborne Snow Observatory pilot mission and SnowEx campaign, hosted by ENVIDAT.

Collection Method

Derived from airborne lidar (ALS) data acquired during dedicated flight campaigns.

Time Range

February 2017 (Grand Mesa, CO) and March 2017 (Grisons, CH).

Freshness

Data was last updated in 2019.

Geography

Forest stands in Grisons, Switzerland (Davos, Engadine) and Grand Mesa, Colorado, USA.