A user emailed this question to the Geosciences Node:

"Dear LOLA Team,

I was not sure but I probably found a large mount of data gap when processing LOLA-GDR data. The attached file [not included here] with resolution of 1024pixels/degree is a good representative for lacking data between adjacent orbital LOLA data. This part of a projected map is established through a combination of a set of LOLA-GRD data using GMT software. Easily seen from this map, some area can display more detailed information than others lacking altimeter data in adjacent orbits which is relative flat. If you size it up, you can see it more clearly. Is it necessary that if i need to build higher resolution images, i should process RDR or EDR data? Could you please give me some suggestion? Thanks."

 

The LOLA Team answers:

"The LDEM_1024/degree is very sparse at midlatitudes. This GDR is nearly 3 years out of date,  since just after the end of the Science Mission month 5 (Jan 31, 2011 I think).

 

The LOLA ground track spacing still has gaps of several km in places, in spite of 20,000+ orbits.

The LDEM_512 is a better dataset with less gaps and is up to date.

Much of the improvement in these data is due to continued refinement of orbit solutions, including laser ranging,

and the use of high-degree GRAIL gravity.

 

At some point this year we plan to redo 1024 with the "ultimate" dataset, which to generate is very compute intensive.

 

The complete terrain information is available from the full RDR dataset - I still use the SOFTWARE tool

'rdr2table LOLARDR.DAT A H M Lregion.prm'

 to build a point cloud for any particular region - it is fast - also the PDS website has

software that extracts the individual data points, Any detector, Header line, Manual edits included, Limited to lon -lat region.prm."

 

 

"At some point this year we plan to redo 1024 with the "ultimate" dataset, which to generate is very compute intensive."

 

22 months later...

 

Any progress?