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Preface 
Airborne and spaceborne laser ranging is a rapidly emerging technology for capturing 
data on physical surfaces. An ever increasing range of applications takes advantage 
of the dense sampling, the high accuracy, and the direct way to obtain 3-D surface 
points that characterizes laser ranging methods. The objective of the workshop 
Mapping Surface Structure and Topography by Airborne and Spaceborne 
Lasers was to bring together researchers, developers, and users of airborne and 
spaceborne laser altimeter systems, to present results, and to discuss issues related 
to deriving surface properties from laser ranging data. 
The three-day event brought together 56 participants with different backgrounds, 
expertise, and affiliations. The  interdisciplinary audience engaged in lively 
discussions with the 25 presenters of papers, ranging in content from theoretical and 
conceptual topics to applications. Nearly all presentations are contained in this 
volume, organized in the sequence of the workshop sessions. The workshop was 
hosted by the Cecil H. and Ida M. Green Institute of Geophysics and Planetary 
Physics, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, in La Jolla, California. 
Originally, it was planned to include a synopsis of the discussion that took place at 
the end of the workshop. Although we took copious notes of the discussion | have 
decided against including a synopsis as it may not be relevant for readers who did 
not participate. The opinion expressed most often was to continue with this kind of 
workshop; and to establish test sites, conduct, and coordinate tests with laser 
ranging data. 
| thank all authors for their very valuable contributions and all participants who 
- contributed to the success of the workshop. | am sure the readers will find the 
proceedings a valuable source of information. 
Beáta M.Csathó 
Editor