Thursday, December 1, 2011

U.S. Geological Survey Uses NOAA-collected 3-D LiDAR Data for Study in Outer Banks

The U.S. Geological Survey made use of NOAA's Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data for an ongoing sediment transport study of the Outer Banks, North Carolina, area. As part of NOAA's damage assessment aerial imagery data collection in the wake of Hurricane Irene last August, LiDAR data of the affected area was collected. Comparisons of the post-Hurricane Irene elevation data with data collected in 2009 will be used to characterize the nature, magnitude, and spatial variability of hurricane-induced coastal changes, such as beach erosion and island breaching. For more information, contact Nicole Cabana.