摘要
This paper reviews the applications of laser mapping technology in the fields of global glacier analysis and monitoring, local and large scale faults extraction, landslide mapping and susceptibility assessment, shoreline detection and coastal erosion monitoring. As a new type of air-or-space borne remote sensing sensor, the application of laser mapping technology (including spaceborne, airborne, vehicle-based and terrestrial) has been extended from conventional surveying and precision surveying to such various fields as cultural heritage protection. The four application fields reviewed in the paper are four major research topics that are mostly related to human-environmental interaction. The review conclusion shows that the laser mapping technology should be or is becoming an indispensable tool for above mentioned issues.