(LiDAR) 3D Point Clouds and Topographic Data from the Chilean Coastal Cordillera

Cite as:

Kügler, Malte; Hoffmann, Thomas O.; Beer, Alexander R.; Übernickel, Kirstin; Ehlers, Todd A.; Scherler, Dirk; Eichel, Jana (2022): (LiDAR) 3D Point Clouds and Topographic Data from the Chilean Coastal Cordillera. V. 1.0. GFZ Data Services. https://doi.org/10.5880/fidgeo.2022.002

Status

I N R E V I E W : Kügler, Malte; Hoffmann, Thomas O.; Beer, Alexander R.; Übernickel, Kirstin; Ehlers, Todd A.; Scherler, Dirk; Eichel, Jana (2022): (LiDAR) 3D Point Clouds and Topographic Data from the Chilean Coastal Cordillera. V. 1.0. GFZ Data Services. https://doi.org/10.5880/fidgeo.2022.002

Abstract

The DFG Priority Program 1803 “EarthShape” (www.earthshape.net) investigates Earth surface shaping by biota. As part of this project, we present Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data of land surface areas for the four core research sites of the project. The research sites are located along a latitudinal gradient between ~26 °S and ~38 °S in the Chilean Coastal Cordillera. From north to south, the names of these sites are: National Park Pan de Azúcar; Private Reserve Santa Gracia; National Park La Campana; and National Park Nahuelbuta.

The three datasets contain raw 3D point cloud data captured from an airborne LiDAR system, and the following derivative products: a) digital terrain models (DTM, sometimes also referred to as DEM [digital elevation model]) which are (2.5D) raster datasets created by rendering only the LiDAR returns which are assumed to be ground/bare-earth returns and b) digital surface models (DSM) which are also 2.5D raster datasets produced by rendering all the returns from the top of the Earth’s surface, including all objects and structures (e.g. buildings and vegetation).

The LiDAR data were acquired in 2008 (southernmost Nahuelbuta [NAB] catchment), 2016 (central La Campana [LC] catchment) and 2020 (central Santa Gracia [SGA] catchment). Except for Nahuelbuta (data already was available from the data provider from a previous project), the flights were carried out as part of the "EarthShape" project. The LiDAR raw data (point cloud/ *.las files) were compressed, merged (as *.laz files) and projected using UTM 19 S (UTM 18 S for the southernmost Nahuelbuta catchment, respectively) and WGS84 as coordinate reference system.

A complementary fourth dataset for the northernmost site in the National Park Pan de Azúcar, derived from Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flights and Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry, is expected to be obtained during the first half of 2022 and will be added to the above data set.

Additional Information

The DFG Priority Program 1803 "EarthShape - Earth Surface Shaping by Biota" (2016-2022) explored between scientific disciplines and includes geoscientists and biologists to study from different viewpoints the complex question how microorganisms, animals, and plants influence the shape and development of the Earth’s surface over time scales from the present-day to the young geologic past. All study sites are located in the north-to-south trending Coastal Cordillera mountains of Chile, South America. These sites span from the Atacama Desert in the north to the Araucaria forests approximately 1300 km to the south. The site selection contains a large ecological and climate gradient ranging from very dry to humid climate conditions. For more information visit: www.earthshape.net

Authors

Kügler, Malte;Federal Institute of Hydrology, Koblenz, Germany
Hoffmann, Thomas O.;Federal Institute of Hydrology, Koblenz, Germany
Beer, Alexander R.;Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
Übernickel, Kirstin;Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
Ehlers, Todd A.;Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Germany
Scherler, Dirk;GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
Eichel, Jana;Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands

Contact

Kügler, Malte (PhD Student) ; Federal Institute of Hydrology, Koblenz, Germany; ➦

Contributors

Lodes, Emma; Grigusova, Paulina; Faßnacht, Fabian; Schmidtlein, Sebastian

Keywords

3D point cloud, LiDAR scanner, Elevation Models, EarthShape, Chile, Coastal Cordillera, Private Reserve Santa Gracia, National Park La Campana, National Park Nahuelbuta, radiation > laser