ICESat2VegR: An R Package for Accessing, Handling, and Processing ICESat2 ATL08 and ATL03 Data
Instructors: Caio Hamamura, Cesar Alvites Description: Several NASA missions periodically collect spatial LiDAR datasets for global vegetation monitoring, particularly the ICESat missions. Among the 23 data products collected and generated by the ICESat-2 mission, the ATL08 product is specifically designed for characterizing ground and canopy surfaces. This hands-on workshop aims to demonstrate how users can effectively leverage these datasets. We introduce the ICESat2VegR package, a novel R-based tool that enables users to download, read, visualize, process, and export NASA’s ICESat-2 ATL08 (Land and Vegetation Height) and ATL03 (Global Geolocated Photon Data) products for land and vegetation applications. Through guided exercises, participants will learn how to: i) download and process ATL08/ATL03 data, ii) access canopy height observations from ATL products, iii) generate data table reference datasets from both ATL products, iv) upscale canopy measurements using Sentinel-2 images. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the strengths and limitations of the package, best practices for segment generation, and practical applications for wall-to-wall canopy mapping. By the end of the workshop, participants will have gained practical skills in spaceborne LiDAR data processing and analysis, equipping them to apply these methods to canopy monitoring, ecological research, and resource management. More details here.
