Uncertainty assessment of a permanent long-range terrestrial laser scanning system for the quantification of snow dynamics on Hintereisferner (Austria)
A permanently installed terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) helps to investigate surface changes at high spatio-temporal resolution. Previous studies show that the annual and seasonal glacier volume, and subsequently the mass balance, can be measured by TLSs. This study systematically identifies and qua...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Earth Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2023.1085416/full |
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| author | Annelies Voordendag Brigitta Goger Brigitta Goger Christoph Klug Rainer Prinz Martin Rutzinger Tobias Sauter Georg Kaser |
| author_facet | Annelies Voordendag Brigitta Goger Brigitta Goger Christoph Klug Rainer Prinz Martin Rutzinger Tobias Sauter Georg Kaser |
| author_sort | Annelies Voordendag |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A permanently installed terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) helps to investigate surface changes at high spatio-temporal resolution. Previous studies show that the annual and seasonal glacier volume, and subsequently the mass balance, can be measured by TLSs. This study systematically identifies and quantifies uncertainties and their sources of the permanent long-range TLS system at Hintereisferner glacier (Ötztal Alps, Austria) in order to assess its potential and limitations for detecting glaciologically relevant small-scale surface elevation changes, such as snowfall and redistribution events. Five uncertainty sources are analyzed: the registration method, the influence of the instrument and hardware limitations of the TLS, the effect of atmospheric conditions on the laser beam, the scanning geometry, and the uncertainty caused by rasterization. The instrument and hardware limitations cause the largest uncertainty to the TLS data, followed by the scanning geometry and influence of varying atmospheric conditions on the laser beam. The magnitude of each uncertainty source depends on the distance (range) between the TLS and the target surface, showing a strong decrease of the obtained spatial resolution and a concurrent increase in uncertainty with increasing distance. An automated registration method results in an uncertainty of ±0.50 m at grids of 100 by 100 m. After post-processing, a 0.1-m vertical accuracy can be obtained allowing the detection of surface changes of respective magnitudes and especially making it possible to quantify snow dynamics at Hintereisferner. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:43:42Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-6463 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:43:42Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Earth Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-e81a9fa537e04796a278ba3362e2ace72023-03-06T05:29:52ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Earth Science2296-64632023-03-011110.3389/feart.2023.10854161085416Uncertainty assessment of a permanent long-range terrestrial laser scanning system for the quantification of snow dynamics on Hintereisferner (Austria)Annelies Voordendag0Brigitta Goger1Brigitta Goger2Christoph Klug3Rainer Prinz4Martin Rutzinger5Tobias Sauter6Georg Kaser7Department of Atmospheric and Cryospheric Sciences (ACINN), Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, AustriaDepartment of Atmospheric and Cryospheric Sciences (ACINN), Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, AustriaCenter for Climate Systems Modeling (C2SM), ETH Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandDepartment of Atmospheric and Cryospheric Sciences (ACINN), Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, AustriaDepartment of Atmospheric and Cryospheric Sciences (ACINN), Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, AustriaDepartment of Geography, Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, AustriaGeographisches Institut, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Atmospheric and Cryospheric Sciences (ACINN), Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, AustriaA permanently installed terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) helps to investigate surface changes at high spatio-temporal resolution. Previous studies show that the annual and seasonal glacier volume, and subsequently the mass balance, can be measured by TLSs. This study systematically identifies and quantifies uncertainties and their sources of the permanent long-range TLS system at Hintereisferner glacier (Ötztal Alps, Austria) in order to assess its potential and limitations for detecting glaciologically relevant small-scale surface elevation changes, such as snowfall and redistribution events. Five uncertainty sources are analyzed: the registration method, the influence of the instrument and hardware limitations of the TLS, the effect of atmospheric conditions on the laser beam, the scanning geometry, and the uncertainty caused by rasterization. The instrument and hardware limitations cause the largest uncertainty to the TLS data, followed by the scanning geometry and influence of varying atmospheric conditions on the laser beam. The magnitude of each uncertainty source depends on the distance (range) between the TLS and the target surface, showing a strong decrease of the obtained spatial resolution and a concurrent increase in uncertainty with increasing distance. An automated registration method results in an uncertainty of ±0.50 m at grids of 100 by 100 m. After post-processing, a 0.1-m vertical accuracy can be obtained allowing the detection of surface changes of respective magnitudes and especially making it possible to quantify snow dynamics at Hintereisferner.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2023.1085416/fulltopographic lidarRIEGL VZ-6000uncertainty assessmentterrestrial laser scanningcryosphereatmosphere |
| spellingShingle | Annelies Voordendag Brigitta Goger Brigitta Goger Christoph Klug Rainer Prinz Martin Rutzinger Tobias Sauter Georg Kaser Uncertainty assessment of a permanent long-range terrestrial laser scanning system for the quantification of snow dynamics on Hintereisferner (Austria) Frontiers in Earth Science topographic lidar RIEGL VZ-6000 uncertainty assessment terrestrial laser scanning cryosphere atmosphere |
| title | Uncertainty assessment of a permanent long-range terrestrial laser scanning system for the quantification of snow dynamics on Hintereisferner (Austria) |
| title_full | Uncertainty assessment of a permanent long-range terrestrial laser scanning system for the quantification of snow dynamics on Hintereisferner (Austria) |
| title_fullStr | Uncertainty assessment of a permanent long-range terrestrial laser scanning system for the quantification of snow dynamics on Hintereisferner (Austria) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Uncertainty assessment of a permanent long-range terrestrial laser scanning system for the quantification of snow dynamics on Hintereisferner (Austria) |
| title_short | Uncertainty assessment of a permanent long-range terrestrial laser scanning system for the quantification of snow dynamics on Hintereisferner (Austria) |
| title_sort | uncertainty assessment of a permanent long range terrestrial laser scanning system for the quantification of snow dynamics on hintereisferner austria |
| topic | topographic lidar RIEGL VZ-6000 uncertainty assessment terrestrial laser scanning cryosphere atmosphere |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2023.1085416/full |
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