Publications

Since terrestrial surfaces are anisotropic, all spectral reflectance measurements obtained with a small instantaneous field of view instrument are specific to these angular conditions, and the value of the corresponding NDVI, computed from these bidirectional reflectances, is relative to the particular geometry of illumination and viewing at the time of the measurement. This paper...

No abstract available.

In global change studies the effects of map projection properties on data quality are apparent, and the choice of projection is significant. To aid compilers of global and continental data sets, six equal-area projections were chosen: the interrupted Goode Homolosine, the interrupted Mollweide, the Wagner IV, and the Wagner VII for global maps; the Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area for...

This article proposes a simple new logic for classifying global vegetation. The critical features of this classification are that 1) it is based on simple, observable, unambiguous characteristics of vegetation structure that are important to ecosystem biogeochemistry and can be measured in the field for validation, 2) the structural characteristics are remotely sensible so that...

The global land 1 km data set project represents an international effort to acquire, archive, process, and distribute 1 km AVHRR data of the entire global land surface in order to meet the needs of the international science community. A network of 26 high resolution picture transmission (HRPT) stations, along with data recorded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA...

This document is a result of Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Version 0 activities of the Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center at the U.S. Geological Survey's EROS Data Center. A relatively small part of the Version 0 funding provided by NASA is used to address topographic data issues related to EOS. These issues include identifying and improving...

A strong correlation exists between intercepted solar radiation and crop growth. We cautioned that many derivations of the functional relationship between solar energy and biomass use cumulated data, and therefore have logical and arithmetic weaknesses. We examined the growth response of plants to solar energy by using rates of change, of both interception and growth. Our analysis...

One of the most pressing problems in global climate and ecosystem studies is a lack of adequate land cover data. Staff from the United States Geological Survey's EROS Data Center and the University of Nebraska have developed a United States prototype for a proposed global land cover characteristics database derived from 1-km Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer satellite data. A...

Examination of the scientific priorities for the International Geosphere Biosphere Programme (IGBP) reveals a requirement for global land data sets in several of its Core Projects. These data sets need to be at several space and time scales. Requirements are demonstrated for the regular acquisition of data at spatial resolutions of 1 km and finer and at high temporal frequencies. Global...

No abstract available.

Change detection methods were investigated as a cooperative activity between the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Bureau of Surveying and Mapping, People's Republic of China. Subtraction of band 2, band 3, normalized difference vegetation index, and tasseled cap bands 1 and 2 data from two multispectral scanner images were tested using two sites in the United States and one in the...

We compared measured and estimated sediment budgets in heavily glaciated fjords in East Greenland. Mass balance calculations and regional glacio-climatic conditions suggest that the sediment flux to the seafloor in Kangerdlugssuaq and Nansen fjords should be dominated by iceberg rafting and not by the rain-out of suspended particulates in meltwater, as the glacier calving flux is...