Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A novel solution for outlier removal of ICESat altimetry data: a case study in the Yili watershed, China

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Frontiers of Earth Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Due to the influence of cloud and saturated waveforms, ICESat data contain many contaminated elevation data that cannot be directly used in examining surface elevation and change. This study provides a novel solution for removing bad data and getting clean ICESat data for land applications by using threshold values of reflectivity, saturation, and gain directly from ICESat’s GLAS (Geoscience Laser Alteimeter System) 01, 05, and 06 products. It is found that each laser campaign needs different threshold compositions to assure qualified ICESat data and that bad data removal rates range from 9.6% (laser 2A) to 62.3% (laser 2B) for the test area in the Yili watershed, China. These thresholds would possibly be used in other regions to extract qualified ICESat footprints for land applications. However, it is recommended to use the steps proposed here to further examine the transferability of threshold values for other regions of different elevations and climate regimes. As an example, the resulting ICESat data are applied to examine lake level changes of two lakes in the study area.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bhang K J, Schwartz F W, Braun A (2007). Verification of the vertical error in C-band SRTM DEM using ICESat and Landsat-7, Otter Tail County, MN. IEEE Trans Geosci Rem Sens, 45(1): 36–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Braun A, Cheng K, Csatho B, Shum C K (2004). ICESat Laser Altimetry in the Great Lakes. In: Proceedings of the 60th Annual Meeting, Dayton, OH, 409–416

    Google Scholar 

  • Brenner A C, DiMarzio J R, Zwally H J (2007). Precision and accuracy of satellite radar and laser altimeter data over the continental ice sheets. IEEE Trans Geosci Rem Sens, 45(2): 321–331

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carabajal C C, Harding D J (2005). ICESat validation of SRTM C-band digital elevation models. Geophys Res Lett, 32(22): L22S01

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carabajal C C, Harding D J (2006). SRTM C-band and ICESat laser altimetry elevation comparisons as a function of tree cover and relief. Photogramm Eng Remote Sensing, 72(3): 287–298

    Google Scholar 

  • Farr T G, Rosen P A, Caro E, Crippen R, Duren R, Hensley S, Kobrick M, Paller M, Rodriguez E, Roth L, Seal D, Shaffer S, Shimada J, Umland J, Werner M, Oskin M, Burbank D, Alsdorf D (2007). The shuttle radar topography mission. Rev Geophys, 45(2):RG2004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fricker H A, Borsa A, Minster B, Carabajal C, Quinn K, Bills B (2005). Assessment of ICESat performance at the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia. Geophys Res Lett, 32(21): L21S06

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fricker H A, Padman L (2006). Ice shelf grounding zone structure from ICESat laser altimetry. Geophys Res Lett, 33(15): L15502

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang X, Xie H, Liang T, Yi D (2011). Estimating vertical error of SRTM and map-based DEMs using ICESat altimetry data in the eastern Tibetan Plateau. Int J Remote Sens, 32(18): 5177–5196

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kwok R, Cunningham G F, Zwally H J, Yi D (2006). ICESat over Arctic sea ice: interpretation of altimetric and reflectivity profiles. J Geophys Res: Oceans, 111: C06006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kwok R, Cunningham G F, Zwally H J, Yi D (2007). Ice, cloud, and land elevation satellite (ICESat) over Arctic sea ice: retrieval of freeboard. J Geophys Res: Oceans, 112: C12013

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kwok R, Zwally H J, Yi D (2004). ICESat observations of Arctic sea ice: a first look. Geophys Res Lett, 31(16): L16401

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li Y S, Wu P F (2008). Study on the changes in Ebinur Lake based on the MODIS data. J Water Res & Engi, 19: 110–112

    Google Scholar 

  • Ma D, Zhang L, Wang Q, Zeng Q, Jiang F, Wang Y, Hu R (2003). Influence of the warm-wet climate on Sailimu Lake. J Glaciology and Geocryology, 25(2): 219–223

    Google Scholar 

  • Ma L, Wu J, Yu H, Zeng H, Abuduwaili J (2011). The Medieval Warm Period and the Little Ice Age from a sediment record of Lake Ebinur, northwest China. Boreas, 40(3): 518–524

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Magruder L A, Webb C E, Urban T J, Silverberg E C, Schutz B E (2007). ICESat altimetry data product verification at White Sands Space Harbor. IEEE Trans Geosci Rem Sens, 45(1): 147–155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin C F, Thomas R H, Krabill W B, Manizade S S (2005). ICESat range and mounting bias estimation over precisely-surveyed terrain. Geophys Res Lett, 32(21): L21S07

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moholdt G, Nuth C, Hagen J O, Kohler J (2010). Recent elevation changes of Svalbard glaciers derived from ICESat laser altimetry. Remote Sens Environ, 114(11): 2756–2767

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodriguez E, Morris C S, Belz J E (2006). A global assessment of the SRTM performance. Photogramm Eng Remote Sensing, 72: 249–260

    Google Scholar 

  • Schutz B E, Zwally H J, Shuman C A, Hancock D, DiMarzio J P (2005). Overview of the ICESat Mission. Geophys Res Lett, 32(21): L21S01

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sorg A, Bolch T, Stoffel M, Solomina O, Beniston M (2012). Climate change impacts on glaciers and runoff in Tien Shan (Central Asia). Nature Clim Change, 2(10): 725–731

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sun G, Ranson K J, Kimes D S, Blair J B, Kovacs K (2008). Forest vertical structure from GLAS: an evaluation using LVIS and SRTM data. Remote Sens Environ, 112(1): 107–117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xie H, Ackley S F, Yi D, Zwally H J, Wagner P, Weissling B, Lewis M, Ye K (2011). Sea-ice thickness distribution of the Bellingshausen Sea from surface measurements and ICESat altimetry. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 58: 1039–1051

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xing Y, de Gier A, Zhang J, Wang L (2010). An improved method for estimating forest canopy height using ICESat-GLAS full waveform data over sloping terrain: a case study in Changbai Mountains, China. Int J Appl Earth Obs Geoinf, 12(5): 385–392

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yao T, Thompson L, Yang W, Yu W, Gao Y, Guo X, Yang X, Duan K, Zhao H, Xu B, Pu J, Lu A, Xiang Y, Kattel D B, Joswiak D (2012). Different glacier status with atmospheric circulations in Tibetan Plateau and surroundings. Nature Clim. Change, 2(9): 663–667

    Google Scholar 

  • Yi D, Zwally H J, Sun X (2005). ICESat measurement of Greenland ice sheet surface slope and roughness. Ann Glaciol, 42(1): 83–89

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang G, Xie H, Duan S, Tian M, Yi D (2011a).Water level variation of Lake Qinghai from satellite and in situ measurements under climate change. J Appl Remote Sens, 5(1): 053532–15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang G, Xie H, Kang S, Yi D, Ackley S F (2011b). Monitoring lake level changes on the Tibetan Plateau using ICESat altimetry data (2003–2009). Remote Sens Environ, 115(7): 1733–1742

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang G, Xie H, Yao T, Liang T, Kang S (2012). Snow cover dynamics of four lake basins over Tibetan Plateau using time series MODIS data (2001–2010). Water Resour Res, 48(10): W10529

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zwally H J, Jun L I, Brenner A C, Beckley M, Cornejo H G, Dimarzio J, Giovinetto M B, Neumann T A, Robbins J, Saba J L, Donghui Y I, Wang W (2011). Greenland ice sheet mass balance: distribution of increased mass loss with climate warming; 200307 versus 19922002. J Glaciol, 57(201): 88–102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zwally H J, Schutz B, Abdalati W, Abshire J, Bentley C, Brenner A, Bufton J, Dezio J, Hancock D, Harding D, Herring T, Minster B, Quinn K, Palm S, Spinhirne J, Thomas R (2002). ICESat’s laser measurements of polar ice, atmosphere, ocean, and land. J Geodyn, 34(3–4): 405–445

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zwally H J, Yi D H, Kwok R, Zhao Y H (2008). ICESat measurements of sea ice freeboard and estimates of sea ice thickness in the Weddell Sea. J Geophys Res: Oceans, 113(C2): C02S15

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecology System, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020, China

    Xiaodong Huang & Tiangang Liang

  2. Laboratory for Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA

    Hongjie Xie

  3. Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China

    Guoqing Zhang

Authors
  1. Xiaodong Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hongjie Xie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Guoqing Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Tiangang Liang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hongjie Xie.

Additional information

Xiaodong Huang is an Associate Professor at Lanzhou University, China. He obtained his Ph.D. degree from Lanzhou University in 2009. His present research interests involve Remote Sensing and GIS applications in environment changes and pastoral agriculture resources.

Hongjie Xie is an Associate Professor at University of Texas at San Antonio, USA. He received his Ph.D. degree from University of Texas at El Paso in 2002. His research interests focus on Remote Sensing and GIS technologies, theories, and applications in surface hydrology and cryosphere.

Guoqing Zhang is a Postdoctor at Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China. He obtained his Ph.D. degree from China University of Geosciences (Beijing) in 2011. His research interests include Remote Sensing and GIS applications in spatio-temporal changes of lake-snow-glacier over the Tibetan Plateau.

Tiangang Liang is a Professor of Lanzhou University, China. He received his Ph.D. degree from Lanzhou University in 1998. His research interests focus on Remote Sensing and GIS applications in pastoral agriculture resources and environment changes.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Huang, X., Xie, H., Zhang, G. et al. A novel solution for outlier removal of ICESat altimetry data: a case study in the Yili watershed, China. Front. Earth Sci. 7, 217–226 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-013-0362-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-013-0362-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation