Development and performance characteristics of laser-induced fluorescence imaging lidar for forestry applications

A laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) imaging lidar was developed to monitor a nd measure the chemical activities and status of trees and forests. A uniqu e feature of the lidar system was the usage:and combination of a nano-secon d pulse laser and a gated image intensified CCD camera as an imaging detect or. The system performance was checked using a ginkgo tree located at a dis tance of 60 m from the system. By operating the high sensitivity image inte nsifier with a short time duration of 100 ns, the LIF images of the tree we re successfully obtained not only at night but also during the day. The rat io of the LIF image at 740 nm to that at 685 nm could be effective to estim ate the chlorophyll concentration inside the leaves. It was shown that the system has the potential for macroscale monitoring of trees remotely and no ndestructively. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.