Accuracy of GEDI Lidar Ground Elevation Estimates and an Assessment of the Potential of Machine Learning to Improve Ground and Biomass Estimates
Euan Mitchell
Summary:
NASA's GEDI lidar mission was launched to the International Space Station in 2018 with the goal of providing more accurate estimates of biomass (i.e., carbon density) in the world's forests. Comparing GEDI ground elevations with airborne lidar data shows good agreement in temperate forest settings. In denser tropical rainforest GEDI performs more poorly, but machine learning of optical satellite data can be used to significantly reduce bias in GEDI data and improve biomass estimates, helping GEDI meet pre-launch science goals.
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