What's LIDAR?

Answer 1

Light Detection and Ranging; or Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) is a technology that determines distance to an object or surface using laser pulses

Answer 2

Light Detection and Ranging; or Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging.


LIght Detection And Ranging uses the same principle as RADAR. The lidar instrument transmits light out to a target.

The following is a good place to start.

Answer 3

LIDAR is the acronym for Light Detection and Ranging. In its most sophisticated form it is used for making high resolution 3D images. Some LIDAR instruments have a resolution of 15 cm of elevation accuracy from 1200 m away. Here is an example for the specification of an airborne LIDAR unit:
http://www.beg.utexas.edu/coastal/survey/1225specs.htm

There are lots of applications for LIDAR. I will show you a few notable examples:
Here is an airborne study done of the entire coast of Texas. The value of this type of study is that it can be used to measure coastal erosion, detect subsidence and movement on the growth faults that are common along the Gulf Coast, and ultimately provide data that will help evaluate coastal change.
http://www.beg.utexas.edu/coastal/survey/index.htm
http://www.beg.utexas.edu/coastal/intro.htm#objective

Here is a list of other projects that are ongoing in Texas, California, Wyoming, and Belize:
http://www.beg.utexas.edu/environqlty/remote_sensing/index.htm

A group at the University of Wisconsin is using LIDAR to map and monitor the Arctic. The interesting difference about their work is that they are measuring clouds with LIDAR and are doing it in 4D (meaning they include time):
http://lidar.ssec.wisc.edu/
Here is an example of a completed LIDAR survey done in Saudi Arabia of a large outcrop of limestone. This particular rock is analogous to the Arab-D reservoir, which is one of the important oil reservoirs in the Middle East:
http://www.beg.utexas.edu/resprog/worldwide/ilris_saudiarabia.htm

Here is a tutorial on LIDAR from NASA:
http://www.ghcc.msfc.nasa.gov/sparcle/sparcle_tutorial.html

You might be surprised to discover that simple laser range finders are LIDAR. I have a hand-held model that I use for surveying caves and measuring outcrops. However, some people use them just for golf or hunting.

Answer 4

Laser Imaging Detection And Ranging

Answer 5

Light Detection And Ranging. It does the same job as radar but uses visible light instead of microwaves. It measures the time taken for the reflected light to get back and calculates the distance travelled by the light.