A topographic parameter inversion method based on laser altimetry is developed in this paper, which can be used to deduce the surface vertical profile and retrieve the topographic parameters within the laser footprint...A topographic parameter inversion method based on laser altimetry is developed in this paper, which can be used to deduce the surface vertical profile and retrieve the topographic parameters within the laser footprints by analyzing and simulating return waveforms. This method comprises three steps. The first step is to build the numerical models for the whole measuring procedure of laser altimetry, construct digital elevation models for surfaces with different topographic parameters, and calculate return waveforms. The second step is to analyze the simulated return waveforms to obtain their characteristics parameters, summarize the effects of the topographic parameter variations on the characteristic parameters of simulated return waveforms, and analyze the observed return waveforms of laser altimeters to acquire their characteristic parameters at the same time. The last step is to match the characteristic parameters of the simulated and observed return waveforms, and deduce the topographic parameters within the laser footprint. This method can be used to retrieve the topographic parameters within the laser footprint from the observed return waveforms of spaceborne laser altimeters and to get knowledge about the surface altitude distribution within the laser footprint other than only getting the height of the surface encountered firstly by the laser beam, which extends laser altimeters' function and makes them more like radars.展开更多
基金supported by the National Hi-Tech Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2007AA12Z177)
文摘A topographic parameter inversion method based on laser altimetry is developed in this paper, which can be used to deduce the surface vertical profile and retrieve the topographic parameters within the laser footprints by analyzing and simulating return waveforms. This method comprises three steps. The first step is to build the numerical models for the whole measuring procedure of laser altimetry, construct digital elevation models for surfaces with different topographic parameters, and calculate return waveforms. The second step is to analyze the simulated return waveforms to obtain their characteristics parameters, summarize the effects of the topographic parameter variations on the characteristic parameters of simulated return waveforms, and analyze the observed return waveforms of laser altimeters to acquire their characteristic parameters at the same time. The last step is to match the characteristic parameters of the simulated and observed return waveforms, and deduce the topographic parameters within the laser footprint. This method can be used to retrieve the topographic parameters within the laser footprint from the observed return waveforms of spaceborne laser altimeters and to get knowledge about the surface altitude distribution within the laser footprint other than only getting the height of the surface encountered firstly by the laser beam, which extends laser altimeters' function and makes them more like radars.