ICESat-2 Pre-Launch Simulated Lidar Photon Data

MATLAS data simulates the expected performance of the ICESat-2 ATLAS instrument by adjusting photon counts from the MABEL airborne sensor. Each file contains approximately one minute of HDF5-derived lidar data. The dataset is produced by NASA for pre-launch instrument modeling.

Use Cases

• Validating photon-counting models for the ATLAS instrument by comparing simulated and expected signal-to-noise ratios.
• Analyzing time-series of simulated photon events to predict on-orbit instrument performance.
• Studying geospatial patterns in simulated lidar returns for topographic mapping applications.

Strengths

• Data is derived from the MABEL airborne sensor, a direct precursor to the ICESat-2 ATLAS instrument.
• Simulations adjust detected photon counts to predicted values using ATLAS instrument model design cases.
• Dataset is hosted by NASA, indicating authoritative provenance.

Limitations

• Key metadata such as row count, file size, and specific column names are unavailable across all platforms.
• There is a significant conflict in the last updated date between sources (2012 vs. 2026).
• The license is ambiguously listed as 'other-license-specified' on one platform.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Produced from MABEL data by adjusting detected signal and noise photon counts to ATLAS instrument model predictions.

Time Range

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Freshness

2026-03-13 01:30:51.467036

Geography

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