EDGE’s innovation stems from its “mini-swath” approach. With five full-waveform lasers each split into eight beams, it lays down five 120-meter-wide “mini-swaths” that continuously profile the 3D structure of forests and ice features. Institute of Environment and Sustainability UCLA researcher teams up with NASA to map the Earth in unprecedented 3D detail April 15, 2026 RELATED POSTS IoES in the News: LA’s Streetlights Have Turned a Harsh White Sowing Seeds for the Future: UCLA’s Victoria Sork Uses Genetics to Combat Climate Change Tropical forest ecosystems bounce back much faster than we thought
