Remote sensing phenology studies use data gathered by satellite sensors that measure wavelengths of light absorbed and reflected by green plants. Certain pigments in plant leaves strongly absorb wavelengths of visible (red) light. The leaves themselves strongly reflect wavelengths of near-infrared light, which is invisible to human eyes. As a plant canopy changes from early spring growth to late-season maturity and senescence, these reflectance properties also change.
Many sensors carried aboard satellites measure red and near-infrared light waves reflected by land surfaces. Using mathematical formulas (algorithms), scientists transform raw satellite data about these light waves into vegetation indices. A vegetation index is an indicator that describes the greenness — the relative density and health of vegetation — for each picture element, or pixel, in a satellite image.
Although there are several vegetation indices, one of the most widely used is the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). NDVI values range from +1.0 to -1.0. Areas of barren rock, sand, or snow usually show very low NDVI values (for example, 0.1 or less). Sparse vegetation such as shrubs and grasslands or senescing crops may result in moderate NDVI values (approximately 0.2 to 0.5). High NDVI values (approximately 0.6 to 0.9) correspond to dense vegetation such as that found in temperate and tropical forests or crops at their peak growth stage.
By transforming raw satellite data into NDVI values, researchers can create images and other products that give a rough measure of vegetation type, amount, and condition on land surfaces around the world. NDVI is especially useful for continental- to global-scale vegetation monitoring because it can compensate for changing illumination conditions, surface slope, and viewing angle. That said, NDVI does tend to saturate over dense vegetation and is sensitive to underlying soil color.
NDVI values can be averaged over time to establish "normal" growing conditions in a region for a given time of year. Further analysis can then characterize the health of vegetation in that place relative to the norm. When analyzed through time, NDVI can reveal where vegetation is thriving and where it is under stress, as well as changes in vegetation due to human activities such as deforestation, natural disturbances such as wild fires, or changes in plants' phenological stage.
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NDVI from Other Sensors
NDVI from AVHRR
- Overview
Remote sensing phenology studies use data gathered by satellite sensors that measure wavelengths of light absorbed and reflected by green plants. Certain pigments in plant leaves strongly absorb wavelengths of visible (red) light. The leaves themselves strongly reflect wavelengths of near-infrared light, which is invisible to human eyes. As a plant canopy changes from early spring growth to late-season maturity and senescence, these reflectance properties also change.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.A field of sunflowers near Midland, South Dakota. Many sensors carried aboard satellites measure red and near-infrared light waves reflected by land surfaces. Using mathematical formulas (algorithms), scientists transform raw satellite data about these light waves into vegetation indices. A vegetation index is an indicator that describes the greenness — the relative density and health of vegetation — for each picture element, or pixel, in a satellite image.
Although there are several vegetation indices, one of the most widely used is the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). NDVI values range from +1.0 to -1.0. Areas of barren rock, sand, or snow usually show very low NDVI values (for example, 0.1 or less). Sparse vegetation such as shrubs and grasslands or senescing crops may result in moderate NDVI values (approximately 0.2 to 0.5). High NDVI values (approximately 0.6 to 0.9) correspond to dense vegetation such as that found in temperate and tropical forests or crops at their peak growth stage.
By transforming raw satellite data into NDVI values, researchers can create images and other products that give a rough measure of vegetation type, amount, and condition on land surfaces around the world. NDVI is especially useful for continental- to global-scale vegetation monitoring because it can compensate for changing illumination conditions, surface slope, and viewing angle. That said, NDVI does tend to saturate over dense vegetation and is sensitive to underlying soil color.
NDVI values can be averaged over time to establish "normal" growing conditions in a region for a given time of year. Further analysis can then characterize the health of vegetation in that place relative to the norm. When analyzed through time, NDVI can reveal where vegetation is thriving and where it is under stress, as well as changes in vegetation due to human activities such as deforestation, natural disturbances such as wild fires, or changes in plants' phenological stage.
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
NDVI from Other Sensors
Readily available, no-charge data gathered by Landsat 7's Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) sensor can also be used to generate NDVI image products (see Table 1). With a resolution of 30 m, ETM+ data can be transformed into NDVI images that have greater spatial detail than those derived from AVHRR, but which cover a smaller area. Furthermore, Landsat's orbit repeats every 16 days, compared to...NDVI from AVHRR
The sensor responsible for the longest running series of NDVI products used for large-area phenology studies is carried aboard National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) polar-orbiting weather satellites (see Table 1). This sensor, known as the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), has a daily repeat cycle and, despite its name, a 1-km resolution (an AVHRR image pixel...