Forest Canopy Structure Data for Snow and Radiation Models

Hemispherical photographs and a canopy height model from LiDAR cover 13 experimental plots across spruce and pine forests in Switzerland and Finland. The dataset was created by researchers from ENVIDAT to serve as input for the FSM2 forest snow model, with associated publications from 2020 and 2021. Data includes a detailed canopy height map for a 150,000 m2 simulation domain at the Laret site.

Use Cases

• Parameterizing the FSM2 forest snow model using the Canopy Height Model and hemispherical photograph data to simulate snowpack evolution.
• Analyzing forest structure impact on sub-canopy radiation using hemispherical photographs from 13 experimental plots.
• Upscaling hyper-resolution snow process simulations to coarser models with the provided canopy structure datasets.
• Validating LiDAR-derived tree height maps against ground observations within the 150,000 m2 Laret domain.

Strengths

• Covers 13 experimental plots (40x40m each) across two distinct forest types.
• Includes a detailed Canopy Height Model for a 150,000 m2 simulation domain.
• Data is directly linked to peer-reviewed publications detailing its creation and application.

Limitations

• Sample size is limited to two specific forest sites in Switzerland and Finland.
• The dataset's last known update was in 2020, potentially limiting temporal relevance.
• Specific row counts, file sizes, and detailed column structures are not provided.

Provenance

Source

ENVIDAT via NASA Earthdata.

Collection Method

Hemispherical photographs taken at transect points; Canopy Height Model derived by rasterizing airborne LiDAR data.

Freshness

Last updated 2020-01-01.

Geography

Spruce forest at Laret, Switzerland and pine forest at Sodankylä, Finland.