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Description

This data set (ATL08) contains along-track heights above the WGS84 ellipsoid (ITRF2014 reference frame) for the ground and canopy surfaces. The canopy and ground surfaces are processed in fixed 100 m data segments, which typically contain more than 100 signal photons. The data were acquired by the Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS) instrument on board the Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) observatory.

Version Description

Changes for this version include:
  • Added terrain_best_fit_geosegment parameter at the 20 m (geosegment) rate. This represents the best estimate of terrain at the 20 m along-track resolution.
  • Added h_canopy_geosegment which represents the 20 m estimate of the 98% relative canopy height.
  • Added latitude_20 and longitude_20 to the data product for geolocation of the 20 m terrain and canopy height estimates
  • Added a segment_woody_vegetation_fractional cover to the ATL08 data product. This product is derived from the Copernicus fractional forest and fraction shrub data products
  • Updated the segment_landcover with the 2019 Copernicus landcover. This update replaces the MODIS landcover value which was derived from the 2014 MODIS product. See the version section in the user guide for more information.
  • Updated the urban_flag parameter with the DLR Global Urban Footprint (GUF) as a potential indicator of man-made/built structures. See the version section in the user guide for more information.

Product Summary

Platforms
ICESat-2
Instruments
ATLAS
Spatial Extent

N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180

Spatial Reference System(s)
WGS 84 (EPSG:4326)
Location
GLOBAL
Coordinate System
CARTESIAN
Granule Spatial Representation
ORBIT
Temporal Extent
2018-10-14 to 2022-10-13
Temporal Resolution
91 Day
Concept ID
C2153574670-NSIDC_CPRD
Data State
DEPRECATED
Number of Files/Granules
0
Processing Level
3
Published
Science Keywords
Terrain Elevation ,
Vegetation Height

Citation

Citation is critically important for dataset documentation and discovery. This dataset is openly shared, without restriction, in accordance with the EOSDIS Data Use and Citation Guidance.

Copy Citation

Neuenschwander, A., Pitts, K., Jelley, B., Robbins, J., Klotz, B., Popescu, S., Nelson, R., Harding, D., Pederson, D., & Sheridan, R. (2021). ATLAS/ICESat-2 L3A Land and Vegetation Height, Version 5 [Data set]. NASA National Snow and Ice Data Center Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/ATLAS/ATL08.005 Date Accessed: 2026-05-27

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