抄録
The relatively new technique of laser altimetry, the measurement of Earth surface elevation by timing the propagation interval and digitizing the echo of short laser pulses, is in transition from an airborne remote sensing activity to space-based measurements of global topography. Space-based laser altimeters not only measure distance to the Earth's surface along the nadir track of a host spacecraft, but conduct a surface lidar investigation to reveal the complex shapes of land surface and its vegetation cover. Multi-beam concepts extend the coverage and accuracy of space applications of laser altimetry.
