GEDI L4A Aboveground Biomass Density from Spaceborne Lidar

Eight laser beams from the International Space Station's GEDI instrument sample Earth's surface, providing predictions of aboveground biomass density (AGBD) in Mg/ha within 25-meter footprints. This Version 2 dataset covers a global latitude band between 51.6°N and S, with data collected from April 2019 to November 2024, excluding a storage period from March 2023 to April 2024. Predictions are derived from parametric models calibrated with field plot estimates across multiple world regions and plant functional types.

Use Cases

• Modeling regional carbon stocks by analyzing the `agbd` and `agbd_se` (prediction standard error) columns.
• Assessing biomass changes over time using the `time_range` from 2019-04 18 to 2024-11-27 across the sampled latitude band.
• Comparing forest structure by plant functional type (PFT) using model inputs calibrated for deciduous broadleaf, evergreen broadleaf, evergreen needleleaf trees, and mixed grasslands/shrubs/woodlands.
• Validating satellite-derived biomass maps by geolocating individual footprint predictions with associated quality flags.
• Studying canopy height characteristics through the underlying waveform relative height (RH) metrics used in the biomass models.

Strengths

• Data spans over five years (2019-2024), offering a multi-temporal view of biomass.
• Algorithm was specifically modified for Evergreen Broadleaf Trees in South America to reduce false positive errors.
• Provides uncertainty metrics (e.g., prediction standard error) for each biomass estimate.
• Calibration incorporates field plot estimates from multiple regions and plant functional types.

Limitations

• Sources conflict on the end date of the time range: datagov and aws_open_data state 2024-11-27, while nasa_earthdata states 2025-03-19.
• No acquisitions occurred during a 13-month instrument storage period (March 2023 to April 2024), creating a data gap.
• Spatial coverage is limited to the ISS orbit latitude band (51.6°N and S), excluding polar and higher-latitude regions.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Predictions derived from parametric models relating simulated GEDI Level 2A waveform metrics to field plot AGBD estimates.

Time Range

2019-04-18 to 2024-11-27 (conflict: nasa_earthdata cites 2025-03-19)

Freshness

2026-03 13 02:20:15.660643 (datagov)

Geography

Global latitude band observed by the International Space Station, nominally 51.6 degrees North and South.