Development status of MOLI (Multi-footprint Observation lidar and Imager)

Accurate measurements of forest biomass are important to evaluate its contribution as a source of CO2 absorption. Forest biomass correlates with forest canopy height, and thus global measurements of canopy heights lead to a better understanding of the global carbon cycle. Space-borne lidar has the unique capability of measuring forest canopy height. A vegetation lidar named MOLI (Multi-footprint Observation Lidar and Imager) has been designed to observe canopy heights more accurately, and MOLI is currently being studied in the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). This paper introduces an overview of MOLI and its current status.