Title :
A new approach to derive canopy structure information for boreal forests using spectral BRDF data
Author :
Sandmeier, Stefan R. ; Deering, Donald W.
Author_Institution :
USRA, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
Abstract :
The spectral variability of BRDF effects in vegetation canopies was investigated with the anisotropy index (ANIX) and a normalized difference anisotropy index (NDAX). Both indices were related to the canopy structural properties of six dominant cover types in the Canadian boreal forests. High ANIX and NDAX values were associated with erectophile canopies such as black spruce. Planophile canopies, such as fen areas, exhibited low ANIX and NDAX values. Compared to nadir reflectance data and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), the two new indices significantly improved the accuracy of land cover classification
Keywords :
forestry; geophysical techniques; vegetation mapping; ANIX; Canada; Canadian boreal forests; Larix laricina; NDAX; Picea mariana; Pinus banksiana; anisotropy index; bidirectional reflectance distribution function; black spruce; boreal forest; canopy structure; clear muskeg; erectophile canopies; fen; forestry; geophysical measurement technique; jack pine; land cover classification; normalized difference anisotropy index; optical imaging; planophile canopies; remote sensing; spectral BRDF; structural properties; tamarack; treed; vegetation mapping; Anisotropic magnetoresistance; Bidirectional control; Hyperspectral imaging; Hyperspectral sensors; NASA; Polynomials; Reflectivity; Surface structures; Testing; Vegetation;
Conference_Titel :
Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, 1999. IGARSS '99 Proceedings. IEEE 1999 International
Conference_Location :
Hamburg
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-5207-6
DOI :
10.1109/IGARSS.1999.773516
