The%20GEON%20LiDAR%20Workflow:%20An%20Internet-Based%20Tool%20for%20the%20Distribution%20and%20Processing%20of%20LiDAR%20Point%20Cloud%20Data

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The GEON LiDAR Workflow An Internet-Based Tool
for the Distribution and Processing of LiDAR
Point Cloud Data

• Christopher J. Crosby, J Ramón Arrowsmith,
  Jeffrey Connor, Gilead Wurman
• Efrat Frank, Ashraf Memon, Vishu Nandigam,
  Chaitan Baru

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Project goal

• Democratize access to LiDAR point cloud data
  using cyberinfrastructure under development by
  the GEON project.

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LViz

• A FREE application for 3D visualization of LiDAR
  / ALSM point and interpolated data.
• Developed by Jeffrey Conner in the ASU Active
  Tectonics Group.
• Import of LiDAR point cloud data (delimited text
  file) or interpolated surfaces (in ascii grid
  format)
• User control over display settings such as data
  and background color
• Download _at_
• http//activetectonics.la.asu.edu/GEONatASU/LViz.h
  tml

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LViz http//activetectonics.la.asu.edu/GEONatASU/
LViz.html
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1.1 million data points interpolated to produce
this DEM

• Data typically viewed as DEM
• Creation of DEMs required interpolation of huge
  quantities of point data.
• Currently difficult to access and process these
  data volumes.

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• Example Data Set
• Northern San Andreas fault and associated
  marine terraces.
• Flown February 2003
• Funded by NASA in collaboration w/ USGS.
• 418 Square Kilometers

1.2 billion data points
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The Computational Challenge

• LiDAR/ALSM generates massive data volumes -
  billions of returns are not uncommon in these
  data sets.
• Distribution of these volumes of point cloud data
  to users via the internet represents a
  significant challenge.
• Processing and analysis of these data requires
  significant computing resources not available to
  most geoscientists.
• Interpolation of these data challenges typical
  GIS / interpolation software.
• our tests indicate that ArcGIS, Matlab and
  similar software packages struggle to interpolate
  even a small portion of these data.

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• GEON was designed as an equal collaboration
  between Information Technology (IT) and
  Geoscience researchers, with the goal of
  developing an enabling IT platform to facilitate
  the next generation of Geoscience research.
• Distributed network

ASU node Agassiz
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The Vision

• Utilize the cyberinfrastructure developed by GEON
  to offer online data distribution, interpolation
  to grid, and analysis of large LiDAR datasets.
• Utilize modular web services to complete a
  variety of processing and analysis tasks.
• Completely internet-based workflow
• Point cloud to visualization
• Offer users control of interpolation and analysis
  parameters.

Conceptual GEON LiDAR Workflow
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Triangular Interpolation Network (TIN)
Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW)
Kriging
Regularized Spline with Tension and smoothing
(RST)
Figure from Helena Mitasova (NCSU)
http//skagit.meas.ncsu.edu/helena/gmslab/index.h
tml
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• Goal is to provide an interactive processing
  environment where users can iterate and explore
  various interpolation and processing options.
• Optimize landscape representation based upon
  application of the data.
• By using distributed computing resources, user is
  able to quickly run multiple jobs and compare
  results.
• Similar iteration may take days or weeks on a
  single local machine.
• Leave computationally intensive data processing
  to resources available through GEON and offer
  user downloadable products in common file formats
  they can work with locally.

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Products
Hillshade of DEM
Slope Map
Aspect Map
Profile Curvature Map
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Implementation Overview

• Internet-based LiDAR processing workflow that
  utilizes advanced spatial databases (IBM DB2),
  GRASS Open Source GIS, Kepler Workflow manager
  and web service technology to distribute,
  interpolate, and analyze LiDAR data.

GRASS GIS
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GLW Status

• Three datasets online
• Northern San Andreas Fault
• West Rainier Seismic Zone
• Eastern California Shear Zone NCALM / Mike
  Oskin PI
• Total of 2.5 billion LiDAR returns available
  via GLW.
• More data sets in the queue
• Hector Mine EQ
• NCALM Napa Valley
• Others

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Areas of Development

• Interactive vegetation filtering / feature
  extraction (implement open source algorithms)
• Additional interpolation algorithms (TIN,
  Kriging, moving window etc.)
• Additional analysis tools (Hillshade, Watershed
  analysis)
• New products/formats
• Web-based Viz
• Interface with GEON web-based mapping (2 3D)

Conceptual GEON LiDAR Workflow
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GEON LiDAR Workflow could be adopted as a
valuable infrastructure resource for
democratizing access to future LiDAR point cloud
datasets for the geoscience community More
information on the GLW is available
_at_ http//www.geongrid.org/science/lidar.html
http//activetectonics.la.asu.edu/ASU_GEON/resear
ch.html Please send feedback to chris.crosby_at_as
u.edu