During the September 2004 Lake Trout spawning season, in collaboration with Dr. Jim Churnside, we flew the NOAA fish lidar over Yellowstone Lake in Yellowstone National Park, just south of our hometown of Bozeman, Montana. The purpose was to examine the capability of airborne lidar in depth-profiling and imaging modes for locating Lake Trout spawning locations. Yellowstone fisheries biologists are trying to rid the lake of this invasive species to protect the prized native Cutthroat Trout. 

We gratefully acknowledge funding from the Montana Space Grant Consortium for this experiment. 

  A fabulous view of Yellowstone from the plane...

 Views of Yellowstone National Park from an airplane   

We flew in a Kingair 90 airplane. The lidar mounts to seat rails and looks through a hole in the floor

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Yellowstone LakeYellowstone Lake Arm