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Photonics Dictionary

bathymetric lidar

Bathymetric lidar is a remote sensing technique used to measure the depth of water bodies and map underwater terrain features. It employs lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) technology, which uses laser pulses to measure distances to objects or surfaces.

In bathymetric lidar systems, a laser scanner mounted on an aircraft or a satellite emits laser pulses towards the water's surface. Some of these pulses penetrate the water and reach the seafloor, while others are reflected back by the water surface itself. By precisely timing the round-trip travel of the laser pulses, the system calculates the depth of the water at each point where a pulse hits the seafloor. These depth measurements, along with the position and orientation of the aircraft or satellite, are used to create detailed bathymetric maps of the underwater terrain.

Bathymetric lidar is particularly useful for mapping shallow coastal areas, riverbeds, and lakes, where traditional sonar-based methods may be less effective due to shallow water depths or dense vegetation. It provides high-resolution, three-dimensional data of underwater topography, allowing for better understanding of underwater ecosystems, navigation, coastal erosion, and flood modeling. Additionally, bathymetric lidar can be employed in various applications such as marine resource management, coastal zone planning, and infrastructure development in coastal regions.

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