Surveying Glossary — Letter L

A conformal map projection that uses a cone tangent or secant to the Earth's surface, minimizing distortion over mid-latitude regions and preserving angles while maintaining relative accuracy for surveying and mapping applications.

A legal survey that establishes property boundaries and ownership limits to create or verify land title documents for real estate transactions.

LAS (Log ASCII Standard) is an open-source file format designed to store and exchange three-dimensional point cloud data acquired from LIDAR scanning systems.

LAS (Log ASCII Standard) is an open-source file format designed to store and exchange 3D point cloud data from LiDAR surveys and other surveying instruments in a standardized, vendor-neutral manner.

A surveying instrument that uses laser light to measure distances between points by calculating the time it takes for light to reflect off a target and return to the device.

LAZ is a lossless compression format for point cloud data that reduces file size while preserving all surveying and spatial information without data loss.

A mathematical method used in surveying to process redundant measurements and minimize errors, producing the most probable values for survey coordinates and observations.

A precise written identification of a parcel of land using standardized surveying methods and references to establish its exact boundaries and location for legal and property ownership purposes.

Leica Cyclone is a comprehensive point cloud processing and visualization software suite developed by Leica Geosystems for analyzing, managing, and converting three-dimensional survey data from laser scanners and other surveying instruments.

Leica Infinity is a comprehensive office software platform designed for processing, analyzing, and managing surveying data collected from Leica instruments and external sources.

Leveling is a surveying technique used to determine elevation differences and establish vertical control by measuring the vertical distance between points using an optical or digital level instrument.

LiDAR is a remote sensing technology that uses laser pulses to measure distances and create detailed three-dimensional maps of terrain and objects.

LiDAR intensity refers to the strength or amplitude of the laser signal reflected back from surveyed surfaces, providing additional information about material properties and surface characteristics beyond distance measurements.

A coordinate system established at a specific project location using arbitrary or project-defined origins and axes rather than national geodetic references.

A longitudinal profile is a two-dimensional graphical representation of ground elevation along a surveyed line or route, showing vertical changes relative to horizontal distance.