LiDAR Last Return ASCII Elevation Data

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Frequently-anticipated questions:


What does this data set describe?

    Title: LiDAR Last Return ASCII Elevation Data
    Abstract:
    LiDAR last return elevation data is currently available only as randomly-spaced points stored in ASCII format. Though the data is not construed as an true elevation model such as the bare-earth model (DGM, digital ground model),it is sometimes described as digital last model (DLM) for naming consistency.Data is available in individual tiles described by the King County idxp7500 tile index.
    Supplemental_Information:
    Last Return data was processed as part of the Quality Assessment protocol and derived products were not maintained beyond the randomly spaced point data retiled to King County standard tiling scheme. The ASCII file records include identifier, easting, northing, and elevation value in a comma-delimited format. They are cataloged as 'tile_abb'_dlmkc.asc.

    The data were not stored as production version elevation models at the King County township-range (idxptrmbr) tile index level. They are stored only at the idxp7500 tile index level. This index is a State Plane orthogonal fishnet grid over the extent of the ESA/SAO project area and environs. Access to the metadata and tile index spatial file will likely be necessary for proper identification of tiles of interest.

    The Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium (PSLC) data which is being processed coincidently with the King County data to the same tiling scheme has last-returns embedded as part of their all-return file. Only the first returns were processed from this record. Therefore last return randomly-spaced ASCII elevation data files are not available from King County at this time for the PSLC project area.

  1. How should this data set be cited?

    County, King, 200307, LiDAR Last Return ASCII Elevation Data: King County, King County, WA.

    Online Links:

    • None

    Other_Citation_Details:
    This product is derived from LiDAR data from the King County ESA/SAO (Endangered Species Act/Sensitive Areas Ordinance) project.

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -121.500000
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -121.100000
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: +47.800000
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: +47.100000

  3. What does it look like?

  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?

    Beginning_Date: Nov-2002
    Ending_Date: Feb-2003
    Currentness_Reference: Ground condition

  5. What is the general form of this data set?

    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: Tabular Digital Data

  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?

    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?

      Indirect_Spatial_Reference: As referenced by the tiling index - idxp7500.
      This is a Point data set. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):
      • Point

    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?

      Grid_Coordinate_System_Name: State Plane Coordinate System 1983
      State_Plane_Coordinate_System:
      SPCS_Zone_Identifier: Washington, North
      Lambert_Conformal_Conic:
      Standard_Parallel: 47.500000
      Standard_Parallel: 48.733333
      Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -120.833333
      Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 47.000000
      False_Easting: 1640416.666500
      False_Northing: 0.000000

      Planar coordinates are encoded using Row and column
      Abscissae (x-coordinates) are specified to the nearest .01
      Ordinates (y-coordinates) are specified to the nearest .01
      Planar coordinates are specified in Survey feet

      The horizontal datum used is North American Datum of 1983, 1991 Adjustment (HPGN).
      The ellipsoid used is GRS 80.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 20925604.4720406.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.26.

      Vertical_Coordinate_System_Definition:
      Altitude_System_Definition:
      Altitude_Datum_Name:
      North American Vertical Datum of 1988. Z value is referenced to orthometric elevations derived from National Geodetic Survey Geoid Model, Geoid99.
      Altitude_Resolution: .01
      Altitude_Distance_Units: feet
      Altitude_Encoding_Method: Attribute values

  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

    Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
    The ASCII data has no attribution. The ASCII format of the data is comprised of randomly-spaced, comma-delimited files of unique identifier, easting,northing,elevation-value, without a header.
    Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation: Not applicable


Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)

  2. Who also contributed to the data set?

  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?

    Michael Leathers
    King County Geographic Information Center,
    GIS Data Coordinator
    201 S Jackson St, Suite 706
    Seattle, WA 98104
    USA

    206-263-4867 (voice)


Why was the data set created?

The last return elevation data is a superset of the bare-earth digital ground model. The data is provided for uses where determination of the relationship between the bare-earth model and the last LiDAR return is necessary. The data may also locally serve to help identify sub-canopy vegetative cover status.


How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

    3di (source 1 of 1)
    King County ESA/SAO contract wi, Boulder, CO, 2003, King County ESA/SAO Lowland LiDAR Project (Phase I) and King County ESA/SAO Upland LiDAR Project (Phase 2): 3di Technologies, Boulder, CO.

    Other_Citation_Details:
    The King County ESA/SAO project is comprised of two separate project areas (phases). Phase I (lowland phase) includes the portion of western King County and southern Snohomish County that completes that portion of the County not covered by the PSLC project. The second phase (upland phase) includes the remainder of the County.
    Type_of_Source_Media:
    CD-R and DVD+R containing x,y,z LiDAR elevation records and x,y,intensity_value records.
    Source_Contribution: Last Return ASCII elevation files.

  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?

    Date: 2002 (process 1 of 4)
    Vendor Last Return Production Step 1:

    LiDAR data processing was used to produce the x,y,z elevation points using vendor proprietary lidar data processing software. Within this integrated process an atmospheric correction was made, which is especially important in regions of relatively low elevation.

    Date: 2002 (process 2 of 4)
    Vendor Last Return Production Step 2:

    Data by flight line was combined in a merge process that eliminates redundant points. Data was also clipped into more manageable one km x one km bounds. Noise or anomalous returns were filtered from all data during this processing step. The data was quality checked using commercial software, Spectra Precision TerraModel and TerraVista.

    Date: 2002 (process 3 of 4)
    Vendor Last Return Production Step 3:

    All elevation data was processed on a point by point basis for ellipsoid to orthometric height conversion using the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) Geoid Model, GEOID99. Datum and coordinate system conversion from WGS84 to the Washington State Plane coordinate system was performed using U.S. Army Corps of Engineers CorpsCon software algorithms.

    Date: 2003 (process 4 of 4)
    King County Last Return Process Step 1:

    After receipt from 3di Technologies, the data media was cataloged, and the media contents were logged. The ASCII files were retiled into the King County idxp7500 tiling scheme. This resulted in creation of larger files where several 1 x 1 km 3di tiles were appended and clipped to form one 7500 ft x 7500 King County tile. The ASCII records were also appended with a integer identifier resulting in a final record format of identifier, easting, northing, and elevation value.

    Some of the initial deliveries from the Vendor were not processed to the correct horizontal datum. Reprojection of those tiles was performed using ArcInfo Project command. Results of the reprojection algorithm were confirmed by a sample set also projected using U.S. Army Corps of Engineers CorpsCon algorithm. The resulting output files carry more significant figures to the right of the decimal than the input files. These were not truncated nor rounded to the original 2 decimal precision. Not all files required reprojection so some files will have 2 decimal precision and others will have more digits to the right of the decimal point even though the data is only 2 decimal precision.

  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?


How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?

    There are no attributes as the data is provided in comma delimited, ASCII files with no header. The order of the values in the file is unique record identifier, easting, northing and elevation value.

  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

    Horizontal accuracy specification is 1 meter RMSE. This accuracy specification was not tested explicitly during quality assessment procedures. Horizontal accuracy is indirectly evaluated during Vertical Accuracy evaluation. However no direct vertical accuracy check was performed on the Last Return data.

  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

    Vertical Accuracy specifications are stated for the bare-earth digital ground model data, not the last return data. During quality assessment the relationship between the last return, first return and the bare-earth (dgm) was investigated for a large set of random points across each delivery, to look for any systemic issues in inverted vertical surface separation.

  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?

    Last return elevation data in ASCII format will be available for the entire ESA/SAO project area. Last return elevation data is not available for the Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium portion of King County.

  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?

    Each easting/northing coordinate location has an elevation value.


How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?

Access_Constraints:
Certain processing and data handling charges for necessary cost recovery may apply to obtaining this data. Access to raw mass point files is by special request and request evaluation only.
Use_Constraints:
Users should recognize that Last Return data delivered by the vendor as randomly-spaced ASCII elevation files were minimally inspected for completeness and continuity. The bare-earth model derived from the last-return received more complete evaluation.

  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)

    Dennis Higgins
    King County GIS Center, Client Services
    Manager, Client Services Division
    201 S Jackson St, Suite 706
    Seattle, WA 98104
    USA

    206-263-4523 (voice)

  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?

    LiDAR Last Return Elevation Data ASCII format, 'tile_abb'_dlmkc.asc

  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

    King County disclaims any warranty of use of any digital product or data beyond that for which it was designed.

  4. How can I download or order the data?


Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 15-Jul-2003

Metadata author:
Michael Leathers
King County GIS Center
GIS Data Coordinator
201 S Jackson St, Suite 706
Seattle, WA 98104
USA

206-263-4863 (voice)
mike.leathers@metrokc.gov

Metadata standard:
FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)


Generated by mp version 2.7.17 on Fri Apr 18 17:52:25 2008