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  • Weekly high-resolution multi-spectral and thermal uncrewed-aerial-system mapping of an alpine catchment during summer snowmelt, Niwot Ridge, Colorado
Title: Weekly high-resolution multi-spectral and thermal uncrewed-aerial-system mapping of an alpine catchment during summer snowmelt, Niwot Ridge, Colorado
Abstract. Alpine ecosystems are experiencing rapid change as a result of warming temperatures and changes in the quantity, timing and phase of precipitation. This in turn impacts patterns and processes of ecohydrologic connectivity,vegetation productivity and water provision to downstream regions. The fine-scale heterogeneous nature of these environments makes them challengingareas to measure with traditional instrumentation and spatiotemporally coarse satellite imagery. This paper describes the data collection,processing, accuracy assessment and availability of a series of approximately weekly-interval uncrewed-aerial-system (UAS) surveys flown over the Niwot Ridge Long Term Ecological Research site during the 2017 summer-snowmelt season. Visible, near-infrared and thermal-infrared imagery was collected. This unique series of 5–25 cm resolution multi-spectral and thermal orthomosaics provides a unique snapshot of seasonal transitions in a high alpine catchment. Weekly radiometrically calibrated normaliseddifference vegetation index maps can be used to track vegetation health at the pixel scale through time. Thermal imagery can be used to map themovement of snowmelt across and within the near sub-surface as well as identify locations where groundwater is discharging to the surface. A 10 cm resolution digital surface model and dense point cloud (146 points m−2) are also providedfor topographic analysis of the snow-free surface. These datasets augment ongoing data collection within this heavily studied and importantalpine site; they are made publicly available to facilitate wider use by the research community. Datasets and related metadata can be accessed through the Environmental Data Initiative Data Portal, https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/dadd5c2e4a65c781c2371643f7ff9dc4 (Wigmore, 2022a), https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/073a5a67ddba08ba3a24fe85c5154da7 (Wigmore, 2022c), https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/a4f57c82ad274aa2640e0a79649290ca(Wigmore and Niwot Ridge LTER, 2021a), https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/444a7923deebc4b660436e76ffa3130c (Wigmore and Niwot Ridge LTER, 2021b), https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/1289b3b41a46284d2a1c42f1b08b3807 (Wigmore and Niwot Ridge LTER, 2022a), https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/70518d55a8d6ec95f04f2d8a0920b7b8 (Wigmore and Niwot Ridge LTER, 2022b). A summary of the available datasets can be found in the data availability section below.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2224439 1637686
PAR ID:
10470630
Author(s) / Creator(s):
;
Publisher / Repository:
Copernicus Publications
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Earth System Science Data
Volume:
15
Issue:
4
ISSN:
1866-3516
Page Range / eLocation ID:
1733 to 1747
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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