Dr. David Harding conducts research in the topographic expression of land surface processes and the physical properties of vegetation, snow, ice and water, in particular by developing and utilizing advanced airborne and space-based laser altimeter systems. He was principal investigator (PI) for the airborne Slope Imaging Multi-polarization Photon-Counting Lidar (SIMPL), developed through the NASA Instrument Incubator Program (IIP). The instrument demonstrated measurement techniques enabling more capable spaceflight laser altimeters for future Earth science and planetary exploration missions. Currently, he is the Science Co-PI for the Concurrent Artificially-intelligent Spectrometry and Adaptive Lidar System (CASALS) which is advancing technologies to conduct, for the first time from space, 3D lidar mapping integrated with hyperspectral imaging. Harding was a member of the Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) Science Team and ICESat-2 Science Definition Team. In addition, Harding was a founding member of, and represented NASA in, the Puget Sound Lidar Consortium (PSLC) that conducted one of the first comprehensive, wide-area airborne lidar mapping surveys in the Puget Sound region and Cascades Range, WA. He also served as the Technology Co-lead of the study team evaluating objectives, requirements and solutions for the Surface Topography and Vegetation Incubation Observable recommended in the 2017 Earth Science Decadal Survey.
David J Harding
(GEOPHYSICIST)
| Email: | david.j.harding@nasa.gov |
| Phone: | 301.614.6503 |
| Org Code: | 618 |
| Address: |
NASA/GSFC Mail Code 618 Greenbelt, MD 20771 |
| Employer: | EMERITUS |
Brief Bio
Education
1988 - PhD (Geological Sciences), Cornell University
[Thesis: Josephine Peridotite Tectonites: A Record of Upper-Mantle Plastic Flow]
Publications
Refereed
2022. "EVALUATING APPROACHES RELATING ECOSYSTEM PRODUCTIVITY WITH DESIS SPECTRAL INFORMATION." The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences XLVI-1/W1-2021 31-37 [10.5194/isprs-archives-xlvi-1-w1-2021-31-2022] [Journal Article/Letter]
2019. "On promoting the use of lidar systems in forest ecosystem research." Forest Ecology and Management 450 117484 [10.1016/j.foreco.2019.117484] [Journal Article/Letter]
2019. "Radiometric calibration of a non-imaging airborne spectrometer to measure the Greenland Ice Sheet surface." Atmospheric Measurement Techniques Discussions 1-37 [10.5194/amt-2018-170] [Journal Article/Letter]
2017. "ICESAT/GLAS Altimetry Measurements: Received Signal Dynamic Range and Saturation Correction." IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing 1-15 [10.1109/tgrs.2017.2702126] [Journal Article/Letter]
2017. "Surface-Height Determination of Crevassed Glaciers—Mathematical Principles of an Autoadaptive Density-Dimension Algorithm and Validation Using ICESat-2 Simulator (SIMPL) Data." IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing 55 (4): 1874-1896 [10.1109/tgrs.2016.2617323] [Journal Article/Letter]
2017. "Snow grain size retrieval over the polar ice sheets with the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) observations." Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer [10.1016/j.jqsrt.2016.03.033] [Journal Article/Letter]
2017. "The Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2): Science requirements, concept, and implementation." Remote Sensing of Environment 190 260-273 [10.1016/j.rse.2016.12.029] [Journal Article/Letter]
2016. "Prospects of the ICESat-2 laser altimetry mission for savanna ecosystem structural studies based on airborne simulation data." ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing 118 68-82 [10.1016/j.isprsjprs.2016.04.009] [Journal Article/Letter]
2016. "Dry-season greening of Amazon forests Reply." Nature 531 (7594): E6-E6 [10.1038/nature16458] [Journal Article/Letter]
2016. "Automatic Image Registration of Multimodal Remotely Sensed Data With Global Shearlet Features." IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing 54 (3): 1685-1704 [10.1109/tgrs.2015.2487457] [Journal Article/Letter]
2014. "Amazon forests maintain consistent canopy structure and greenness during the dry season." Nature 506 (7487): 221-224 [10.1038/nature13006] [Journal Article/Letter]
2014. "LiDAR-derived surface roughness mapping: Applications to Mount St. Helens Pumice Plain deposit analysis." IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing 52 (1): 426-438 [10.1109/TGRS.2013.2241443] [Journal Article/Letter]
2013. "Space lidar developed at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center - the first 20 years." IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing 6 (3): 1660-1675 [doi:10.1109/jstars.2013.2259578] [Journal Article/Letter]
2010. "The ICESat-2 Laser Altimetry Mission." Proc. IEEE 98 (5): 735-751 [10.1109/JPROC.2009.2034765] [Journal Article/Letter]
2010. "Predicting small target detection performance of low-SNR airborne lidar." IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing 3 (4): 672-688 [10.1109/JSTARS.2010.2053349] [Journal Article/Letter]
2009. "Predicting Topographic and Bathymetric Measurement Performance for Low-SNR Airborne Lidar." Ieee Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing 47 - 2298-2315 [10.1109/TGRS.2008.2011054] [Journal Article/Letter]
2008. "The Need for a National Lidar Dataset." Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing 74 (9): 1066-1068 [Full Text] [Journal Article/Letter]
2006. "Correction to “Estimates of forest canopy height and aboveground biomass using ICESat”." Geophysical Research Letters 33 (5): L05501 [10.1029/2005gl025518] [Journal Article/Letter]
2006. "SRTM C-Band and ICESat Laser Altimetry Elevation Comparisons as a Function of Tree Cover and Relief." Am Soc Photogram Rem Sens 72 (3): 287-298 [10.14358/PERS.72.3.287] [Journal Article/Letter]
2005. "ICESat validation of SRTM C-band digital elevation models." Geophysical Research Letters 32 (22): L22S01 [10.1029/2005GL023957] [Journal Article/Letter]
2005. "ICESat Waveform Measurements of Within-footprint Topographic Relief and Vegetation Vertical Structure." Gephys Res Lett 32 4 [10.1029/2005GL023471] [Journal Article/Letter]
2005. "Estimates of forest canopy height and aboveground biomass using ICESat." Geophysical Research Letters 32 (22): L22S02 [10.1029/2005GL023971] [Journal Article/Letter]
2005. "ICESat validation of Shuttle Radar Topography Mission C-band digital elevation models." Geophysical Research Letters L22S01 [10.1029/2005GL023957] [Journal Article/Letter]
2005. "Evidence for Late Holocene Earthquakes on the Utsalady Point Fault, Northern Puget Lowland, Washington." Bull Seismological Soc Am 94 2299-2316 [10.1785/0120040050] [Journal Article/Letter]
2004. "A portable lidar system for rapid determination of forest canopy structure." Journal of Applied Ecology 41 755-767 [DOI: 10.1111/j.0021-8901.2004.00925.x] [Journal Article/Letter]
2003. "High-resolution topography of the Puget Lowland, Washington -A bonanza for earth science." GSA Today 13 (6): 4-10 [10.1130/1052-5173(2003)13] [Journal Article/Letter]
2002. "Lidar remote sensing for ecosystem studies." Bioscience 52 (1): 19-30 [10.1641/0006-3568(2002)052[0019:LRSFES]2.0.CO;2] [Journal Article/Letter]
2002. "Lidar remote sensing of above ground biomass in three biomes." Global Ecology and Biogeography 11 (5): 393-399 [10.1046/j.1466-822x.2002.00303.x] [Journal Article/Letter]
2002. "ICESat's laser measurements of polar ice, atmosphere, ocean, and land." Journal of Geodynamics 34 405-445 [10.1016/S0264-3707(02)00042-X] [Journal Article/Letter]
2001. "Laser altimeter canopy height profiles: methods and validation for closed-canopy, broadleaf forests." Remote Sensing of Environment 76 (3): 283-297 [10.1016/s0034-4257(00)00210-8] [Journal Article/Letter]
2001. "Light transmittance in forest canopies determined using airborne laser altimetry and in-canopy quantum measurements." Remote Sensing of Environment 76 (3): 298-309 [10.1016/S0034-4257(00)00211-X] [Journal Article/Letter]
2001. "Laser altimeter canopy height profiles: Methods and validation for deciduous, broadleaf forests." Rem Sens Environ 76 283-297 [10.1016/S0034-4257(00)00210-8] [Journal Article/Letter]
2000. "Satellite laser altimetry: on-orbit calibration techniques for precise geolocation." The Review of Laser Engineering 28 (12): 796-803 [10.2184/lsj.28.796] [Journal Article/Letter]
2000. "Rift deflection, migration, and propagation: Linkage of the Ethiopian and Eastern rifts." Africa Geol Soc Am Bull 112 163-176 [10.1130/0016-7606(2000)112<163:RDMAPL>2.0.CO;2] [Journal Article/Letter]
1999. "Surface lidar remote sensing of basal area and biomass in deciduous forests of Eastern Maryland." Remote Sensing of Environment 67 (1): 83-98 [10.1016/S0034-4257(98)00071-6] [Journal Article/Letter]
1999. "Use of a large-footprint scanning airborne lidar to estimate forest stand characteristics in the western Cascades of Oregon." Remote Sensing of Environment 67 (3): 298-308 [10.1016/S0034-4257(98)00091-1] [Journal Article/Letter]
1999. "Lidar remote sensing of biophysical properties and canopy structure of forests of Douglas-fir and western hemlock." Remote Sensing of Environment 70 (3): 339-361 [10.1016/S0034-4257(99)00052-8] [Journal Article/Letter]
1998. "Observations of the Earth's topography from the Shuttle Laser Altimeter (SLA): laser-pulse echo-recovery measurements of terrestrial surfaces." Physics and Chemistry of the Earth 23 1053-1068 [Full Text] [10.1016/S0079-1946(98)00145-1] [Journal Article/Letter]
1996. "Remote sensing of forest canopies." Selbyana 17 6-14 [Full Text] [Journal Article/Letter]
1995. "Erosional Development of the Ethiopian Plateau of Northeast Africa from a Fractal Analysis of Topography." Fractals in Petroleum Geology and Earth Processes 127-142 [10.1007/978-1-4615-1815-0_8] [Article in Book]
1994. "Satellite laser altimetry of terrestrial topography: vertical accuracy as a function of surface slope, roughness, and cloud cover." IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing 32 (2): 329-339 [10.1109/36.295048] [Journal Article/Letter]
1994. "Laser Altimetry of Terrestrial Topography: Vertical Accuracy as a Function of Surface Slope, Roughness, and Cloud Cover." IEEE Transactions of Geoscience and Remote Sensing 32 329-339 [10.1109/36.295048] [Journal Article/Letter]
1993. "Age and Evolution of Western Brooks Range Ophiolites, Alaska: Results from 40Ar/39Ar Thermochronometry." Tectonics 12 410-432 [10.1029/92TC02640] [Journal Article/Letter]
1991. "Surface scattering properties estimated from modeling ASAS multiple emission angle reflectance data over the Lunar Crater Volcanic Field, Nevada." Geophys. Res. Letters 18 (11): 2051-2054 [10.1029/91GL02664] [Journal Article/Letter]
1990. "Space-based imagery in paleioanthropological research - An Ethiopian Example." National Geographic Research 6 - 418-434. [Journal Article/Letter]
1989. "Spectral Mapping of Alaskan ophiolites using Landsat Thematic Mapper Data." Remote Sensing of Environment 28 219-232 [10.1016/0034-4257(89)90115-6] [Journal Article/Letter]
Non-Refereed
2016. "Laser transmitter design and performance for the slope imaging multi-polarization photon-counting lidar (SIMPL) instrument." Solid State Lasers XXV: Technology and Devices, Proceedings of SPIE 9726 [10.1117/12.2213005] [Proceedings]
2013. "A 16-beam non-scanning swath mapping laser altimeter instrument." Solid State Lasers XXII: Technology and Devices, Proceedings of SPIE 8599 [10.1117/12.2005651] [Proceedings]
2013. "A 16-beam non-scanning swath mapping laser altimeter instrument, Solid State Lasers XXII." Technology and Devices 8599 [10.1117/12.2005651] [Journal Article/Letter]
2012. "The 2011 Eco3D flight campaign: Vegetation structure and biomass estimation from simultaneous SAR, lidar and radiometer measurements." 2012 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS) 3387–3390 [10.1109/IGARSS.2012.6350694] [Proceedings]
2012. "Multi-beam Laser Altimeter System Simulator for the Lidar Surface Topography (LIST) Mission." 2012 CONFERENCE ON LASERS AND ELECTRO-OPTICS (CLEO) [Full Text] [10.1364/CLEO_AT.2012.ATu2G.6] [Proceedings]
2011. "Spaceflight laser development for future remote sensing applications." Lidar Technologies, Techniques, and Measurements for Atmospheric Remote Sensing VII, Proceedings of SPIE 8182 [10.1117/12.898547] [Proceedings]
2011. "Development effort of the airborne lidar simulator for the lidar surface topography (LIST) mission." Lidar Technologies, Techniques, and Measurements for Atmospheric Remote Sensing VII, Proceedings of SPIE 8182 [10.1117/12.898545] [Proceedings]
2011. "Spaceborne laser development for future remote sensing applications." Infrared Remote Sensing and Instrumentation XIX, Proceedings of SPIE 8154 [10.1117/12.896693] [Proceedings]
2011. "Airborne Polarimetric, Two-Color Laser Altimeter Measurements of Lake Ice Cover: A Pathfinder for NASA’s ICESat-2 Spaceflight Mission." 2011 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS) 3598-3601 [Full Text] [10.1109/IGARSS.2011.6050002] [Proceedings]
2011. "Sixteen Channel, Non-Scanning Airborne Lidar Surface Topography (LIST) Simulator." 2011 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS) 4119-4121 [Full Text] [10.1109/IGARSS.2011.6050139] [Proceedings]
2011. "Development of the airborne lidar surface topography simulator." International Symposium on Lidar and Radar Mapping: Technologies and Applications, Proceedings of SPIE 8286 8 [10.1117/12.912564] [Proceedings]
2011. "Evaluation of the global multi-resolution terrain elevation data 2010 (GMTED2010) using ICESat geodetic control." International Symposium on Lidar and Radar Mapping 2011: Technologies and Applications Location, Proceedings of SPIE 8286 13 [10.1117/12.912776] [Proceedings]
2011. "Polarimetric, two-color, photon-counting laser altimeter measurements of forest canopy structure." International Symposium on Lidar and Radar Mapping 2011: Technologies and Applications, Proceedings of SPIE 8286 10 [10.1117/12.913960] [Proceedings]
2010. "Spaceborne laser instruments for high-resolution mapping." Solid State Lasers XIX: Technology and Devices, Proceedings of SPIE 7578 [10.1117/12.843191] [Proceedings]
2010. "Spaceborne Laser Transmitters for Remote Sensing Applications." Infrared Remote Sensing and Instrumentation XVIII, Proceedings of SPIE 7808 [10.1117/12.861536] [Journal Article/Letter]
2010. "A Spaceborne lidar for high resolution topographic mapping of the Earths surface." SPIE Newsroom [10.1117/2.1201002.002655] [Journal Article/Letter]
2010. "The Slope Imaging Multi-polarization Photon-counting Lidar: Development and performance results." Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS), 2010 IEEE International 653-656 [10.1109/IGARSS.2010.5650862] [Proceedings]
2010. "ICESat Lidar and Global Digital Elevation Models:Applications to DESDynI." 2010 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium 1907-1910 [10.1109/IGARSS.2010.5650201] [Proceedings]
2009. "Pulsed laser altimeter ranging techniques and implications for terrain mapping, in Topographic Laser Ranging and Scanning: Principles and Processing." 173-194 [Book]
2007. "Pushbroom Laser Altimetry using Fiber Lasers and Photon Counting Detectors ." 2007 Conference on Lasers & Electro-Optics/Quantum Electronics and Laser Science Conference (CLEO/QELS 1-5 1467-1468 [Full Text] [Proceedings]
2005. "Hydrological applications of remote sensing: surface state - river and water body stage, width and gradient from satellite radar altimetry, interferometric SAR, and laser altimetry." The encyclopedia of hydrological sciences, Volume 2, Hydrological application of remote sensing: surface states 5 903-918 [10.1002/0470848944.hsa065] [Article in Book]
2003. "ICESat Laser Altimeter Pointing, Ranging and Timing Calibration from Integrated Residual Analysis: A Summary of Early Mission Results." Proceedings of the 2003 Flight Mechanics Symposium, Oct. 28-30, 2003. NASA CP/2003-212246 [Full Text] [Proceedings]
2002. "Evaluation of Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) Waveforms For Vegetated Landscapes Using Airborne Laser Altimeter Scanning Data ." International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Volume XXXIV-3/W4, Annapolis, Maryland, 22-24 Oct. 2001 125-128 [Full Text] [Proceedings]
2001. " Lidar remote sensing of aboveground biomass in three biomes." International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Land Surface Mapping and Characterization using Laser Altimetry 34 (3/W4): 155-160 [Full Text] [Proceedings]
2001. "Some algorithms for virtual deforestation ({VDF}) of lidar topographic survey data." International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Land Surface Mapping and Characterization using Laser Altimetry 34 (3/W4): 211-218 [Full Text] [Proceedings]
2000. "Technical Report Series on the BorealEcosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS): Volume 93, SLICER Airborne Laser Altimeter Characterization of Canopy Structure and Sub-canopy Topography for the BOREAS Northern and Southern Study Regions: Instrument and Data Product Description." NASA/TM-2000-209891 93 51 [Full Text] [Report]
2000. "Fault scarp detection beneath dense vegetation cover : Airborne LIDAR mapping of the Seattle fault zone, Bainbridge Island, Washington state." Proceedings of the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Annual Conference, Washington, D.C., 2000 [Full Text] [Proceedings]
1999. "Application of the Shuttle Laser Altimeter in an accuracy assessment of GTOPO30, a global 1-kilometer Digital Elevation Model ." International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Mapping Surface Structure and Topography by Airborne and Spaceborne Lasers 32 (3-W14): 81-88 [Full Text] [Proceedings]
1999. "Processing of shuttle laser altimeter range and return pulse data in support of SLA-02." International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Mapping Surface Structure and Topography by Airborne and Spaceborne Lasers 32 (3-W14): 65-72 [Full Text] [Proceedings]
1999. "Progress in LIDAR altimeter remote sensing of stand structure in deciduous and coniferous forests using SLICER data ." International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Mapping Surface Structure and Topography by Airborne and Spaceborne Lasers 32 (3-W14): 23-30 [Full Text] [Proceedings]
1999. "Shuttle Laser Altimeter." 1999 Shuttle Small Payloads Symposium (Proceedings of a symposium held at U.S. Naval Academy Annapolis, Maryland September 13-15,1999) NASA/CP-1999-209476 337-346 [Full Text] [Report]
1999. "Shuttle Laser Altimeter Mission: Results & Pathfinder Accomplishments ." 1999 Shuttle Small Payloads Symposium NASA/CP-1999-209476 337-345 [Full Text] [Proceedings]
1998. "Lidar remote sensing of forest canopy structure and related biophysical parameters at H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, Oregon, USA." IGARSS '98. Sensing and Managing the Environment. 1998 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing. Symposium Proceedings. (Cat. No.98CH36174) 1252-1254 [10.1109/igarss.1998.691367] [Proceedings]
1998. "Attempts to estimate LAI using airborne flashlamps and lasers." 1998 International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS) 1-5 1562-1564 [Full Text] [10.1109/IGARSS.1998.691601] [Proceedings]
1998. "Airborne lidar observations of canopy structure at the BOREAS tower flux sites." 1998 International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium 1-5 1550-1552 [Full Text] [10.1109/IGARSS.1998.691589] [Proceedings]
1997. "Analysis of laser altimeter waveforms for forested ecosystems of Central Florida." Proceedings of SPIE Advances in Laser Remote Sensing for Terrestrial and Oceanographic Applications 3059 184-189 [Full Text] [10.1117/12.277613] [Proceedings]
1996. "Shuttle Laser Altimeter (SLA): A pathfinder for space-based laser altimetry and lidar." 1995 Shuttle Small Payloads Symposium NASA-CP-3310 83-90 [Full Text] [Proceedings]
1996. "Using laser echo recovery and a scannable field-of-view telescope to determine vegetation structure and sub-canopy topography over wide swaths." 1996 International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium(IGARSS) 1-4 1806-1808 [Full Text] [10.1109/IGARSS.1996.516807] [Proceedings]
1995. "Airborne laser altimetry and interferometric SAR measurements of canopy structure and sub-canopy topography in the Pacific northwest." IEEE Conference Proceedings Second Topical Symposium on Combined Optical-Microwave Earth and Atmosphere Sensing [Full Text] [10.1109/comeas.1995.472395] [Proceedings]
1994. "Laser altimetry waveform measurement of vegetation canopy structure." 1994 International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS) 1-4 1251-1253 [Full Text] [10.1109/IGARSS.1994.399398] [Proceedings]
1994. "Optimization of an airborne laser altimeter for remote sensing of vegetation and tree canopies." International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS) 1-4 939-941 [Full Text] [10.1109/IGARSS.1994.399307] [Proceedings]