News

Seed Project Data from Guadalupe Mountains Released May 2, 2019 A new NCALM dataset has been released by OpenTopography. The dataset, covering 63 km2 over McKittrick Canyon in West Texas and Southern New Mexico, was collected for a 2017 Seed Proposal...	A new NCALM dataset has been released by OpenTopography. The dataset, covering 63 km2 over McKittrick Canyon in West Texas and Southern New Mexico, was collected for a 2017 Seed Proposal titled, “Quantifying Rock Strength Controls on Landscape Morphology in the Guadalupe Mountains, NM/TX.” Read more at opentopography.org. Additional information about the Student Seed Proposal program can be found here.
Zhiyue Sun Defends Ph.D. Dissertation May 1, 2019 Doctoral student Zhiyue Sun successfully defended his dissertation titled, "Estimating Glacier Ice Thickness and Mass Balance using Multiple Spaceborne Geodetic Techniques." Numerous...	Doctoral student Zhiyue Sun successfully defended his dissertation titled, "Estimating Glacier Ice Thickness and Mass Balance using Multiple Spaceborne Geodetic Techniques." Numerous spaceborne remote sensing techniques have been used to obtain different geodetic observations of glaciers. Contemporary estimates from these approaches yield large discrepancies in certain glacierized areas, such as the Nyainqen Tanglha, and other glacierized regions, such as the Novaya Zemlya, have been under-studied. To characterize and quantify accurate glacier mass balance estimates over Nyainqen Tanglha and Novaya Zemlya, the dissertation proposed an iterative velocity-based method to estimate thickness. First, a new iterative method, which estimates ice thickness using surface velocity and surface topography was presented. Second, traditional spaceborne techniques of observing surface mass balance were tested in the Novaya Zemlya. Finally, the proposed thickness estimate method was applied to the four largest glaciers in the Nyainqen Tanglha. Thickness distribution maps from 2008 to 2016 were obtained, and mass balance and thickness changes were determined accordingly. Zhiyue’s Geosensing Systems Engineering & Sciences (GSES) advisor was Dr. Hyongki Lee. Congratulations, Zhiyue!
Chaco Canyon Lidar Dataset Released April 22, 2019 Over 500 km2 of lidar data at Chaco Culture National Historical Park and the surrounding area are now available on OpenTopography. The project was mapped by NCALM in 2016 as part of an NSF...	Over 500 km2 of lidar data at Chaco Culture National Historical Park and the surrounding area are now available on OpenTopography. The project was mapped by NCALM in 2016 as part of an NSF proposal, Collaborative Research: Three Dimensional Landscape Reconstruction and Land Use Modeling at Chaco Canyon, New Mexico.
New Lidar Dataset Covering Portion of San Andreas Fault Available April 2, 2019 OpenTopography has released a new publicly-available NCALM lidar dataset covering 28 km2 of the San Andreas Fault near Parkfield, California. The data were part of the Seed Proposal program...	OpenTopography has released a new publicly-available NCALM lidar dataset covering 28 km2 of the San Andreas Fault near Parkfield, California. The data were part of the Seed Proposal program and collected for a student PI. Read more at opentopography.org, where the data is also available. You can find out more about the Student Seed Proposal program here.
NCALM Announces 2018 Seed Proposal Winners March 22, 2019 2018 Student Seed Proposal Winners Selected The National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping surveys multiple projects each year for graduate student PIs whose research would be enhanced by...	2018 Student Seed Proposal Winners Selected The National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping surveys multiple projects each year for graduate student PIs whose research would be enhanced by airborne lidar data and visible imagery. Students write and submit a two- to three-page proposal to be considered for an award (details at: ncalm.cive.uh.edu/seed/about). The applications are reviewed by the NCALM Steering Committee, who then select winners based on intellectual merit and broader impact. NCALM would like to announce that the 2018 seed proposal winners have been awarded. There were 36 submissions, and eight projects were selected. Congratulations to the following students (and their advisors): Joel Eklof (Rebecca Neumann) University of WashingtonAdvective heat transfer by rain as a mechanism of soil warming, CH4 release, and permafrost thaw James Guilinger (Andrew Gray) University of California, RiversideSource attribution of eroded sediments from post-fire runoff events using nested scales of sequential change detection Thomas Herbst (Alan Whittington) University of MissouriA bird's eye view of lava domes: Airborne laser swath mapping of Lassen Volcanic Center, Lassen Volcanic National Park, CA Nate Mitchell (Brian Yanites) Indiana UniversityVariations in bedrock cliff morphologies with fracture density and incision rate along a transient stream Miles Reed (Nicole West) Central Michigan UniversityChemical erosion response to transient physical erosion along the path of a migrating knickpoint Alba Mar Rodríguez Padilla (Michael E. Oskin) University of California, DavisConstraining rheology from lidar-based comparisons of seismogenic versus creeping normal faults Cole M. Speed (Zoltan Sylvester & David Mohrig) University of Texas at AustinInterpreting fluvial processes from the ancient rock record: Linking geomorphology to stratigraphy using 3-D outcrops of exhumed channel-belt deposits, Eastern Utah, USA Kirk Townsend (Marin Clark) University of MichiganThe role of extreme events in setting the pace and magnitude of landscape change: Post-fire debris flows in the Santa Monica Mountains, Southern California
Logistics Planning Begins for Mexico and Central America Lidar Collection Campaign March 12, 2019 Planning for the 2019 Mexico and Central America Lidar Collection Campaign for Small- and Medium-Sized Projects is ongoing. Currently there are 14 committed projects in Mexico, Belize,...	Planning for the 2019 Mexico and Central America Lidar Collection Campaign for Small- and Medium-Sized Projects is ongoing. Currently there are 14 committed projects in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. NCALM has applied for a temporary export license of the mapping equipment and is working with project PIs to acquire the necessary permits for each location. NCALM is enthusiastic about this first international small-project campaign and is eager to begin the data collection portion. Principal Investigators can expect regular updates through email as we coordinate and arrange assistance for each project. We anticipate beginning to map in April/May.
UH Researchers to Share Magic of Archaeological Discoveries and Technology February 22, 2019 NCALM Adventures Topic of Lecture at Houston Museum of Natural Science Throughout the year, the Houston Museum of Natural Science hosts a distinguished lecture series focused on the...	NCALM Adventures Topic of Lecture at Houston Museum of Natural Science Throughout the year, the Houston Museum of Natural Science hosts a distinguished lecture series focused on the latest scientific discoveries and a variety of topics presented by experts in each field. The last lecture in February is titled “Maya Megalopolis and Ancient Secrets Revealed by Airborne Lidar.”
Craig Glennie Receives Faculty Achievement Award February 20, 2019 Dr. Craig Glennie was awarded the Osman Ghazzaly Faculty Achievement Award from the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE). The award is presented each year to an...	Dr. Craig Glennie was awarded the Osman Ghazzaly Faculty Achievement Award from the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE). The award is presented each year to an outstanding faculty member in recognition of their innovation and excellence in teaching, research, or service. He received the award at the 2019 Civil & Environmental Engineering Gala, where other awardees and scholarship recipients were also honored. Dr. Glennie is an NCALM PI and Associate Professor in CEE. Congratulations, Craig! Read about this year's recent Civil & Environmental Enginnering Gala & Induction Ceremony here. Pictures of the event can be viewed here.
UH GSES Student Wins at Lidar Leader Awards February 1, 2019 Geosensing Systems Engineering & Sciences student, Andrea Albright, won an Outstanding University Achievement in Lidar award for the most innovative use of lidar at this year's...	Geosensing Systems Engineering & Sciences student, Andrea Albright, won an Outstanding University Achievement in Lidar award for the most innovative use of lidar at this year's International LiDAR Mapping Forum in Denver. She won the award with her presentation on measuring breaking waves with lidar technology, using Velodyne lasers. Congratulations, Andrea! Read about the second annual Lidar Leader Awards here.
2018 Student Seed Proposal Submission Period Extended December 17, 2018 The due date for 2018 Seed Project proposals has been extended until Friday, February 1, 2019. Due to research community requests, students will be provided additional time to apply for a...	The due date for 2018 Seed Project proposals has been extended until Friday, February 1, 2019. Due to research community requests, students will be provided additional time to apply for a seed project grant. This will allow for more and better submissions from graduate students. See the program announcement below: The National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping invites proposals from graduate students seeking airborne lidar data (up to 40 km2) for use in research toward an M.S. or Ph.D. degree. For background information and a complete guideline for submitting a proposal, see the Seed Proposals and Format Guidelines pages. The proposal submission period is Thursday, September 13, 2018–Friday, February 1, 2019. For more information, contact ncalm [at] egr.uh.edu (subject: Seed%20Proposal%20Inquiry) or call (832) 842-8881.

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