50 Kilometers of Brazilian Forest Canopy

Credits

• Data visualizers

  • Alex Kekesi (Global Science and Technology, Inc.) [Lead]
  • Greg Shirah (NASA/GSFC)

• Scientists

  • Doug C. Morton (NASA/GSFC) [Lead]
  • Veronika Leitold (University of Maryland)

• Technical support

  • Ian Jones (ADNET Systems, Inc.)
  • Laurence Schuler (ADNET Systems, Inc.)

Related Pages

• Related

  • 

    ID: 12398 Produced Video

    A 3D Forest Map

    Feb. 21st, 2019
    (updated May 3rd, 2023)

    Lasers, droughts, and a 3D view: NASA maps the Amazon to examine tree mortality. || logged_v84_still.0561_1024x576.jpg (1024x576) [196.1 KB] || logged_v84_still.0561_print.jpg (1024x576) [215.8 KB] || logged_v84_still.0561_searchweb.png (320x180) [87.1 KB] || logged_v84_still.0561_thm.png (80x40) [5.6 KB] || logged_v84_still.0561.tif (3840x2160) [12.9 MB] ||

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  • 

    ID: 4532 Visualization

    Flying Through LIDAR Canopy Data

    June 12th, 2018
    (updated Nov. 15th, 2023)

    This animation shows an airplane collecting treetop data over a Brazilian rainforest. As the airplane continues to collect data, the viewer flies down to the rainforest canopy and flies through the virtual leaves, eventually emerging to see the airplane off in the distance still collecting new data. It should be noted that for the purposes of this animation, we chose to use leaf-like objects to represent each lidar data point in 3D space. However, lidar data does not specifically show individual leaves, but simply point heights reflected by the leaf canopy. However, the resolution of the lidar data is so good that it potentially can pick up leaves and other structures such as tree branches, and sometimes even flying birds, but has no easy way to differentiate between them. Therefore, since the location of this particular data was known to be a rainforest, and the majority of the data points would represent leaves, we chose leaf-like structures for this particular case. || flythrough.0520_print.jpg (1024x576) [192.8 KB] || flythrough.0520_searchweb.png (320x180) [84.5 KB] || flythrough.0520_thm.png (80x40) [5.8 KB] || flythrough_1080p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [82.6 MB] || flythrough_720p30.mp4 (1280x720) [39.9 MB] || frames/1920x1080_16x9_30p/ (1920x1080) [64.0 KB] || flythrough_1080p30.webm (1920x1080) [5.9 MB] || flythrough_360p30.mp4 (640x360) [12.3 MB] || flythrough_4532.key [40.3 MB] || flythrough_4532.pptx [40.0 MB] ||

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  • 

    ID: 4650 Visualization

    Brazilian Rainforest Logged Area Canopy Change 2013-2016

    June 12th, 2018
    (updated Nov. 15th, 2023)

    This data visualization starts with an airplane collecting lidar over a flat plane. As the data is collected a strip of the 2013 Brazilian rainforest canopy can be seen. Once the plane flies past, we spin the camera around to get a better view of the treetop canopy data. We then highlight areas of the canopy that will undergo significant change from 2013 to 2016. Finally, we allow those highlighted areas (ie, trees and tree branches) to fall the the ground, revealing the new 2016 forest canopy. || logged_v84_comp.0500_print.jpg (1024x576) [280.1 KB] || logged_v84_comp.0500_searchweb.png (320x180) [100.0 KB] || logged_v84_comp.0500_thm.png (80x40) [6.7 KB] || logged_v84_comp_1080p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [32.8 MB] || frames/1920x1080_16x9_30p/ (1920x1080) [64.0 KB] || logged_v84_comp_1080p30.webm (1920x1080) [2.6 MB] ||

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  • 

    ID: 4651 Visualization

    Brazilian Rainforest Area Canopy Change 2013-2014-2016

    June 12th, 2018
    (updated Nov. 15th, 2023)

    This data visualization starts in 2013 with an airplane collecting lidar data. As the plane flies overhead, the viewer finds themselves amongst the recently collected treetop canopy. The viewer then moves forward through the canopy eventually lifting up to get a birds eye view of the recently collected strip of data points (represented as leaf-like shapes). Areas of change from 2013 to 2014 are then highlighted and the data transitions to what the canopy looked like in 2014. Areas of change between 2014 to 2016 are then highlighted before the data transitions again to what the canopy looked like in 2016. Each successive change allows scientists to carefully monitor the turn over rate of foliage over this three year period. || nologging_v87.0410_print.jpg (1024x576) [85.0 KB] || nologging_v87.0410_searchweb.png (320x180) [51.7 KB] || nologging_v87.0410_thm.png (80x40) [5.1 KB] || nologging_v87_comp_1080p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [46.2 MB] || frames/1920x1080_16x9_30p/ (1920x1080) [128.0 KB] || nologging_v87_comp_1080p30.webm (1920x1080) [4.3 MB] ||

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  • 

    ID: 4652 Visualization

    Brazilian Rainforest Canopy Change at Mission Start 2013-2014-2016

    June 12th, 2018
    (updated Nov. 15th, 2023)

    This data visualization starts in 2013 with an airplane collecting lidar data. As the plane flies overhead, the stationary viewer finds themselves amongst the recently collected treetop canopy. The viewer then drifts upward getting a better view of the beginning of the data swath. Areas that change between 2013 and 2014 are then highlighted and the data transitions fully to what the canopy looked like in 2014. Next, areas of change between 2014 to 2016 are highlighted and then fully transition to the canopy in 2016. Being able to see this level of change allows scientists to carefully monitor the foliage turnover rate in this remote part of the world. || stillcam5_comp.0690_print.jpg (1024x576) [217.2 KB] || stillcam5_comp.0690_searchweb.png (320x180) [66.4 KB] || stillcam5_comp.0690_thm.png (80x40) [4.3 KB] || stillcam5_comp_1080p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [41.9 MB] || frames/1920x1080_16x9_30p/ (1920x1080) [64.0 KB] || stillcam5_comp_1080p30.webm (1920x1080) [3.1 MB] ||

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