Workshop on a Proposal to Establish and Operate a

National Center for Airborne Laser Swath Mapping (NCALM)

April 25 - 26, 2003

University of Florida Hotel & Conference Center

1714 SW 34^th St., Gainesville, FL 32607  

A proposal is under review by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish and operate a National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping (NCALM) to support university-based research. The purpose of NCALM is to provide research quality data for NSF supported researchers and to provide opportunities to advance the technology and its applications. The Center will be led by the University of Florida and the University of California, Berkeley.  Airborne Laser Swath Mapping (ALSM, also known as LIDAR) data will be collected by University of Florida (UF) system. The UF systems comprises a Cessna 337 in-line twin engine aircraft, a 33,000 pps laser unit, dual frequency GPS receivers, and dedicated data processing laboratories and facilities at the Geosensing Engineering and Mapping (GEM) Research Center. The system was acquired in 1997 and the ALSM measurements produce high-resolution XYZ points at point spacing less than one meter on the ground with vertical accuracy of 5 - 10 cm and horizontal accuracy of 15 - 20 cm. Data archiving, distribution and a portion of the data reduction will be conducted at the University of California, Berkeley.

The University of Florida and the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) are hosting the NSF sponsored workshop to discuss the technology and research opportunities in geosciences, and the eventual management of the Center, should it be funded. Participants will have an opportunity to examine the UF instrumentation and data processing facilities, and to help shape and be a part of the structure and operating plans of the proposed Center.

We invite academic researchers (including students) interested in participating in the workshop to contact Bill Dietrich at bill@seismo.berkeley.edu. Those interested in making formal presentations about ongoing and/or future research that could benefit from the use of high resolution topographic data, should submit a one-page abstract to Bill Dietrich no later than February 1, 2003. Participants will be selected to represent a range of disciplines and applications, and will receive support to cover their travel costs and expenses .

For more information, please contact: