The ORNL DAAC recently released version 1 of the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) Level 3 Gridded Land Surface Metrics dataset, as highlighted in an ORNL news article.
GEDI L3 Gridded Land Surface Metrics, Version 1
This dataset provides gridded mean canopy height, standard deviation of canopy height, mean ground elevation, standard deviation of ground elevation and counts of laser footprints on a 1 km x 1 km grid cells globally between -52 and 52 degrees latitude. This gridded GEDI data is useful for understanding important carbon and water cycling processes, biodiversity, and habitats. It can also be of immense value for climate modeling, forest management, snow and glacier monitoring, and the generation of digital elevation models. This initial release contains averages and standard deviations of the footprint profile metrics within each 1 sq. km cell.
The Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) produces high resolution laser ranging observations of the 3D structure of the Earth. GEDI’s precise measurements of forest canopy height, canopy vertical structure, and surface elevation greatly advance our ability to characterize important carbon and water cycling processes, biodiversity, and habitat. GEDI was funded as a NASA Earth Ventures Instrument (EVI) mission. It was launched to the International Space Station in December 2018 and completed initial orbit checkout in April 2019.
Level 1B, Level 2A, and Level 2B data from are available from the Land Processes DAAC. Level 4 Above Ground Biomass data products will be available at the ORNL DAAC later this calendar year.
Data Citation: Dubayah, R.O., S.B. Luthcke, T.J. Sabaka, J.B. Nicholas, S. Preaux, and M.A. Hofton. 2021. GEDI L3 Gridded Land Surface Metrics, Version 1. ORNL DAAC, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA. https://doi.org/10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1865