Module 2 Overview

GEDI Mission Logo
NASA Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) spaceborne lidar mission logo.

A Deep Dive into GEDI: From Mission Design to Ecological Insights

This module provides an overview of the GEDI mission, its ecosystem objectives and global relevance, and its novelty in measuring 3-dimensional vegetation structure. This includes a summary of its products and how they can be accessed and applied. The module guides participants through understanding how the waveform characterizes surface features to understanding the advantages and limitations of these measurements. Descriptions of foundational variables and conditions during observation help users to understand best practices for choosing a data product and preparing it for analysis. The highlighted case studies compare and build upon applications in forest monitoring, habitat and biodiversity studies, fire management, land cover classifications, hydrology applications and more.

Hands-on demonstrations set up the initial workflow for acquiring GEDI data,quality processing options, and key characteristics of the dataset. The tutorials demo real-world scenarios, including forest conservation and restoration, prescribed burns, and pine beetle infested areas. The key considerations reviewed throughout this module culminate with additional recommendations for customization, new applications, and broader workflow plug-ins. This module emphasizes the foundational concepts and practical considerations to inspire and equip the user to explore novel applications of GEDI on their own.

The Target Audience

Technical teams, scientists, and researchers working on ecosystem and carbon management challenges, vegetation evaluation and monitoring, and conservation and restoration planning. Later modules will introduce more downstream hands-on applications to reinforce the foundations outlined here. Land managers using technical tools or working on fire related issues may also benefit from this training.

Learning Objectives

  1. Recall the purpose of the GEDI Mission, its novelty, and helpful resources and tools.
  2. Explain the science behind several GEDI data products.
  3. Identify usability of GEDI in example applications and interpret analysis readiness standards.
  4. Compare and contrast case studies of GEDI data to distinguish capabilities for several vegetation-related applications.
  5. Explore and evaluate GEDI data.
  6. Weigh options and recommendations for downstream applications of GEDI data.

Partners, Contributors, and Acknowledgements

  • Stephanie Jiménez, University of Alabama in Huntsville & NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, sj0114@uah.edu
  • Timothy Mayer, University of Alabama in Huntsville & NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, timothy.mayer@nasa.gov
  • Christine Evans, University of Alabama in Huntsville & NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
  • Sativa Cruz, Bay Area Environmental Research Institute, NASA Ames
  • Kevin Horn, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
  • Kaitlin Walker, University of Alabama in Huntsville & NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
  • Jacob Abramowitz, University of Alabama in Huntsville & NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
  • Lena Pransky, University of Alabama in Huntsville & NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
  • Meryl Kruskopf, University of Alabama in Huntsville & NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

Module Topics Overview

  1. Lasering in on the GEDI Mission
    1. Why GEDI? Mission Objectives and Global Relevance
    2. Navigating the GEDI Ecosystem: Products, Structures, and Tools
    3. The Building Blocks of Analysis: Foundational Variables for Understanding the Characteristics of GEDI Data
    4. How GEDI Informs Ecosystem Studies
  2. From Ground to Canopy
    1. GEDI’s Elevation and Relative Height Metrics Explained
  3. From Canopy Layers to Vertical Profiles
    1. Vegetation Structural Insights From GEDI
    2. From Download to Discovery: Accessing and Analyzing GEDI L2B Vegetation and Structure Metrics
  4. Above ground Biomass With GEDI
    1. GEDI’s Biomass Estimation Approach
    2. From Download to Discovery: Accessing and Analyzing GEDI L4A and L4B Biomass Estimations
  5. Module 2 Recap

Pre-Requisites

  • EarthData Access Login
  • Google Colab and Google Drive account
  • Github account and/or access

Table of contents

Curtosy of EarthRISE at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and the Lab for Applied Scienecs at the University of Alabama in Huntsville