Institutional development · Research, innovation and assessment · Germany
Heidelberg and Finnish researchers find dead tree branches move throughout the day
Geoinformatics researchers at Heidelberg University and the Finnish Geospatial Research Institute used autonomous laser scanning to track daily movements of dead branches, linking small shifts to changes in air humidity.
Why it matters: Forest and remote-sensing researchers gain a study showing that dead branches move measurably over the day, tracked by autonomous laser scanning.
Geoinformatics researchers at Heidelberg University tracked the movements of dead tree branches in a joint study with the Finnish Geospatial Research Institute (FGI), according to an announcement on the idw press wire.
The team used a laser scanning system that operated autonomously and captured a selected area of forest at regular intervals.
The researchers said that dead branches are not static but move clearly over the course of a day.
According to the announcement, a tracking algorithm developed specifically for the work allowed precise measurement of even small branch movements caused by changes in air humidity.
Editor’s view
Scott James, Research and Innovation Editor
For researchers studying forests with laser scanning, the Heidelberg–FGI study reports that dead branches shift over the day in response to humidity changes, and that a purpose-built tracking algorithm can quantify even small movements.
