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Package opalsForest

The package opalsForest provides a set of modules and scripts dealing with forestry applications like:

  • DSM generation (in forested areas)
  • forest border delineation
  • delineation of homogeneous wood stands
  • determination of crown coverage
  • biomass (wood stock) estimation
  • analysis of forest layer structure
  • classification of tree species
  • change detection
  • estimation of gap fractions
  • estimation of stem diameter distributions

Please note, that opalsForest is only partially available and some modules are in experimental state..

Unlike other packages, opalsForest consists of a multitude of loose scripts for different purposes. Therefore, the package script opalsForest only gives a short information, but cannot be used to run all the scripts in the module.

Scripts and Modules of Package opalsForest
Python Scripts Description
forBiomass.py forBiomass calculates and validates parameters that can be used for estimating forest biomass.
forCrownCoverage.py Calculates the crown coverage for a triplet of trees.
forDSM.py Calculates a DSM for forested areas using the landcover dependent approach of Hollaus et al, 2010.
forDelineation.py Derives forest boundaries from topographic models (DTM, DSM, ...) based on a specific forest definition.
forTopHeight.py Calculates statistical measures (mean, std.dev., ...) for the 100 highest points within specific AOIs.
forTreeDetection.py Detects single tree positions from topographic models (DTM, nDSM, etc.).
opalsForest.py Package script providing a set of forestry related tools.
utilsImageOverlay.py Script to combine a height coloring with a hill shading.
Modules Description
AddInfo Inserts or updates ODM attributes by combining existing attributes and/or grid models.
Algebra Provides a generic raster algebra calculator featuring mathematical, statistical and conditional operators.
Cell Calculates statistical features of user defined attributes and stores them as raster models or rasterized point clouds.
Colorize
Contouring Derives the contour of foreground objects of a raster model and exports the results as a polygon shape file.
Convolution Performs convolutional filtering operations on a raster image.
DBH Estimate the Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) based on 3D point cloud data (ODM).
DSM Calculates a land cover dependent DSM raster model based on the approach of Hollaus et. al. (2010).
DTM Calculates a high quality Digital Terrain Model in hybrid grid structure (i.e. regular grid + structure lines).
EchoRatio Derives and stores the echo ratio (ER) attribute for points of an OPALS data manager.
Export Exports vector data stored in an OPALS data manager (ODM) in various data formats.
Grid Derives a 2.5D digital elevation models (DEM) in regular grid structure using simple interpolation techniques.
Histo Derives histograms and descriptive statistics (min, max, mean, r.m.s, etc.) for ODM or grid/raster data sets and stores the results graphically (SVG) and numerically (XML).
Import Loads vector and raster data into an ODM for subsequent use in modules dealing with point cloud and line related data.
Info Extracts and reports information of an ODM, vector or raster file.
ModelFromAxis
Morph Applies morphological operations (opening, closing, erosion, dilation) on raster datasets.
Normals Estimates local surface normal vectors for each point of a specific point cloud (ODM).
PointStats Derives and stores statistical parameters describing the local distribution of a point attribute for each point of an ODM.
Rasterize Performs vector-to-raster conversion for all types of simple feature geometries (points, lines, polygons).
RoadStats
Shade Derives shaded relief raster maps (geo-coded hill shading) of DEM grids.
StatFilter Performs statistical filtering of raster datasets with a sliding kernel of arbitrary shape and size.
TIN Creates a TIN surface from ODM vector data based on a 2D constrained Delaunay triangulation.
Translate Performs format conversion for vector data files with additional read support of GDAL rasters.
Vectorize Performs raster-to-vector conversion and exports polyline geometries.
View Provides an interactive 3d viewer for points (including arbitrary attributes) and lines.
ZColor Derives color coded visualizations of grid models and stores them as geo-coded raster images.