LIGHT DETECTION AND RANGING (LIDAR) SCAN OF THE ONONDAGA CAVE

The Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology has found its way steadily into traditional surveying during the last decade. This presentation illustrates some of the scientific capabilities of this technology to perform surveys in locations traditionally considered difficult to map with high precision. In March of 2009, hydrologists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) utilized tripod mounted LiDAR scanners to collect 3-dimensional point data of the Queen’s Canopy Room of the Onondaga Cave in Onondaga Cave State Park, near Leasburg, MO. This pilot study was a joint effort between personnel of the USGS and Onondaga Cave State Park.

Two scanners were used during this project; one unit was used to create a base scan of the Queen’s Canopy Room while the second unit was used to obtain additional higher resolution data of some of the natural deposits of the cave. The data was collected at an average baud spacing (resolution) of 2 cm which is equivalent to more than 27,000,000 data points. Imagery of the 3-dimensional data collected and some basic calculations performed with these data will be presented. Additionally, some advantages and disadvantages of the LiDAR technology will be discussed, while presenting possible applications of this technology to structural geology, groundwater and surface-water studies.