Global Vegetation Height Metrics from GEDI and ICESat2

ORNL_CLOUD provides global raster datasets of vegetation canopy height metrics derived from GEDI and ICESat-2 satellite lidar data. The dataset includes relative height metrics RH98, RH90, RH75, and RH50 at 100-, 200-, 500-, and 1000-meter resolutions, offering measures of vegetation structure. Data collection spans from 2019 to 2022.

Use Cases

• Analyzing forest canopy height distribution using the RH98, RH90, RH75, and RH50 percentile metrics.
• Mapping global vegetation structure changes from 2019 to 2022 across different spatial resolutions.
• Intercalibrating satellite-derived height estimates for consistency in the overlap region between 50 and 52 degrees North.

Strengths

• Combines data from two major lidar missions, GEDI (2019-2022) and ICESat-2 (2019-2021), for global coverage.
• Provides four specific relative height metrics (RH98, RH90, RH75, RH50) at four spatial resolutions (100m, 200m, 500m, 1000m).
• Metrics are intercalibrated over a defined overlap area (50 - 52 degrees N) to ensure consistency.

Limitations

• Sources disagree on the last updated date: one lists 2026-03-13, another lists 2022-12-31.
• Specific row counts, column names, and dataset size are unknown across all platforms.
• License is listed as 'other-license-specified' but details are not provided.

Provenance

Source

ORNL_CLOUD

Collection Method

Derived from Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) L2A and Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) L3A ATL08 lidar data.

Time Range

2019-2022

Freshness

2026-03-13 02:05:48.061744

Geography

Global