Integration of ground-based and airborne lidar data for improved terrain model generation

Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) and Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) have recently seen increased use in studies of earth surface processes. Theory and real-world results indicate that ALS surveys produce reduced accuracy in areas of steep terrain due to beam spread and horizontal geolocation errors. TLS systems, with higher resolution and different incidence angles, offer a method of validation and bias correction for ALS surveys. We present results from the inaugural Airborne Snow Observatory campaign exploring the integration of ALS and TLS technologies in the mountainous Uncompahgre River in southwest Colorado and the Tuolumne River in the Sierra Nevada, California.