Inversion of PROSAIL Model for Retrieval of Plant Biophysical Parameters

The current development of satellite technology particularly in the sensors like POLDER and MISR, has emphasized more on directional reflectance measurements (i.e. spectral reflectance of the target measured from different view zenith and azimuth angles) of the earth surface features mainly the vegetation for retrieval of biophysical parameters at regional scale using radiative transfer models. This approach being physical process based and uses directional reflectance measurement has been found to better and more reliable compared to the conventional statistical approach used till date and takes care of anisotropic nature (i.e. reflectance from the target is different if measured from different view angles) of the target. Keeping this in view a field experiment was conducted in mustard crop to evaluate the radiative transfer model for biophysical parameter retrieval through its inversion with the objectives set as (i) to relate canopy biophysical parameters and geometry to its bidirectional reflectance, (ii) to evaluate a canopy reflectance model to best represent the radiative transfer within the canopy for its inversion and (iii) to retrieve crop biophysical parameters through inversion of the model. Two varieties of the mustard crop (Brassica juncea L) were grown with two nitrogen treatments. The bidirectional reflectance data obtained at 5 nm interval for a range of 400–1100 nm were integrated to IRS LISS–II sensor’s four band values using Newton Cotes Integration technique. Biophysical parameters like leaf area index, leaf chlorophyll content, leaf length, plant height and average leaf inclination angle, biomass etc were estimated synchronizing with the bi-directional reflectance measurements. Radiative transfer model PROSAIL model was validated and its inversion was done to retrieve LAI and ALA. Look Up Table (LUT) of Bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) was prepared simulating through PROSAIL model varying only LAI (0.2 interval from 1.2 to 5.4 ) and ALA (5° interval from 40° to 55°) parameters and inversion was done using a merit function and numerical optimization technique given by Press et al. (1986). The derived LAI and ALA values from inversion were well matched with observed one with RMSE 0.521 and 5.57, respectively.     

Leaf to canopy upscaling approach affects the estimation of canopy traits

In remote sensing applications, leaf traits are often upscaled to canopy level using sunlit leaf samples collected from the upper canopy. The implicit assumption is that the top of canopy foliage material dominates canopy reflectance and the variability in leaf traits across the canopy is very small. However, the effect of different approaches of upscaling leaf traits to canopy level on model performance and estimation accuracy remains poorly understood. This is especially important in short or sparse canopies where foliage material from the lower canopy potentially contributes to the canopy reflectance. The principal aim of this study is to examine the effect of different approaches when upscaling leaf traits to canopy level on model performance and estimation accuracy using spectral measurements (in-situ canopy hyperspectral and simulated Sentinel-2 data) in short woody vegetation. To achieve this, we measured foliar nitrogen (N), leaf mass per area (LMA), foliar chlorophyll and carbon together with leaf area index (LAI) at three vertical canopy layers (lower, middle and upper) along the plant stem in a controlled laboratory environment. We then upscaled the leaf traits to canopy level by multiplying leaf traits by LAI based on different combinations of the three canopy layers. Concurrently, in-situ canopy reflectance was measured using an ASD FieldSpec-3 Pro FR spectrometer, and the canopy traits were related to in-situ spectral measurements using partial least square regression (PLSR). The PLSR models were cross-validated based on repeated k-fold, and the normalized root mean square errors (nRMSE_cv) obtained from each upscaling approach were compared using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey’s post hoc test. Results of the study showed that leaf-to-canopy upscaling approaches that consider the contribution of leaf traits from the exposed upper canopy layer together with the shaded middle canopy layer yield significantly (p < 0.05) lower error (nRMSE_cv < 0.2 for canopy N, LMA and carbon) as well as high explained variance (R² > 0.71) for both in-situ hyperspectral and simulated Sentinel-2 data. The widely-used upscaling approach that considers only leaf traits from the upper illuminated canopy layer yielded a relatively high error (nRMSE_cv>0.2) and lower explained variance (R² < 0.71) for canopy N, LMA and carbon. In contrast, canopy chlorophyll upscaled based on leaf samples collected from the upper canopy and total canopy LAI exhibited a more accurate relationship with spectral measurements compared with other upscaling approaches. Results of this study demonstrate that leaf to canopy upscaling approaches have a profound effect on canopy traits estimation for both in-situ hyperspectral measurements and simulated Sentinel-2 data in short woody vegetation. These findings have implications for field sampling protocols of leaf traits measurement as well as upscaling leaf traits to canopy level especially in short and less foliated vegetation where leaves from the lower canopy contribute to the canopy reflectance.     

冠层反射光谱对植被理化参数的全局敏感性分析

植被理化参数与许多有关植物物质能量交换的生态过程密切相关,定量分析植被反射光谱对理化参数的敏感性是遥感反演理化参数含量的前提。本文采用EFAST(Extended Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test)全局敏感性分析方法,利用PROSAIL辐射传输模型分析了冠层疏密程度对叶片生化组分含量、冠层结构以及土壤背景等多种参数敏感性的影响,并对植被理化参数反演所需先验知识的精度问题进行了初步探讨。研究表明:(1)对于较为稠密的冠层,可见光波段的冠层反射率主要受叶绿素含量的影响,近红外和中红外波段的冠层反射率主要受干物质量和含水量的影响;(2)对于稀疏的冠层,LAI是影响400—2500 nm波段范围内冠层反射率的最重要参数,土壤湿度次之,叶片生化参数对冠层反射率的敏感性较低;(3)在已知稀疏冠层LAI的情况下进一步确定土壤的干湿状态,可显著提高冠层反射率对叶绿素含量的敏感度,有助于稀疏冠层叶绿素含量的反演。     

Evaluating the capabilities of Sentinel-2 for quantitative estimation of biophysical variables in vegetation

The red edge position (REP) in the vegetation spectral reflectance is a surrogate measure of vegetation chlorophyll content, and hence can be used to monitor the health and function of vegetation. The Multi-Spectral Instrument (MSI) aboard the future ESA Sentinel-2 (S-2) satellite will provide the opportunity for estimation of the REP at much higher spatial resolution (20 m) than has been previously possible with spaceborne sensors such as Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) aboard ENVISAT. This study aims to evaluate the potential of S-2 MSI sensor for estimation of canopy chlorophyll content, leaf area index (LAI) and leaf chlorophyll concentration (LCC) using data from multiple field campaigns. Included in the assessed field campaigns are results from SEN3Exp in Barrax, Spain composed of 35 elementary sampling units (ESUs) of LCC and LAI which have been assessed for correlation with simulated MSI data using a CASI airborne imaging spectrometer. Analysis also presents results from SicilyS2EVAL, a campaign consisting of 25 ESUs in Sicily, Italy supported by a simultaneous Specim Aisa-Eagle data acquisition. In addition, these results were compared to outputs from the PROSAIL model for similar values of biophysical variables in the ESUs. The paper in turn assessed the scope of S-2 for retrieval of biophysical variables using these combined datasets through investigating the performance of the relevant Vegetation Indices (VIs) as well as presenting the novel Inverted Red-Edge Chlorophyll Index (IRECI) and Sentinel-2 Red-Edge Position (S2REP). Results indicated significant relationships between both canopy chlorophyll content and LAI for simulated MSI data using IRECI or the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) while S2REP and the MERIS Terrestrial Chlorophyll Index (MTCI) were found to have the strongest correlation for retrieval of LCC.     

Principal component inversion technique for the retrieval of leaf area index

A simulation study has been carried out to investigate the Principal Component Inversion (PCI) technique for the retrieval of leaf area index (LAI). The PROSAIL model has been used for the forward analysis, i.e., estimation of reflectance for various combinations of LAI, soil reflectance, leaf angle distribution (ø₁), chlorophyll a+b concentration (C_ab), etc. Independent test on sample with LAI range 0.1-7.0 indicated that the retrieved LAI from PCI has higher accuracy (RMSE=0.137) than the classical NDVI-LAI empirical approach (RMSE=1.139). The study needs to be extended to cover retrieval from different types of soil and simultaneous retrieval of different biophysical parameters viz., LAI, C_ab, ø₁ to test the wider applicability of the PCI technique.     

Estimating chlorophyll content of crops from hyperspectral data using a normalized area over reflectance curve (NAOC)

The Normalized Area Over reflectance Curve (NAOC) is proposed as a new index for remote sensing estimation of the leaf chlorophyll content of heterogeneous areas with different crops, different canopies and different types of bare soil. This index is based on the calculation of the area over the reflectance curve obtained by high spectral resolution reflectance measurements, determined, from the integral of the red–near-infrared interval, divided by the maximum reflectance in that spectral region. For this, use has been made of the experimental data of the SPARC campaigns, where in situ measurements were made of leaf chlorophyll content, LAI and fCOVER of 9 different crops – thus, yielding 300 different values with broad variability of these biophysical parameters. In addition, Proba/CHRIS hyperspectral images were obtained simultaneously to the ground measurements. By comparing the spectra of each pixel with its experimental leaf chlorophyll value, the NAOC was proven to exhibit a linear correlation to chlorophyll content. Calculating the correlation between these variables in the 600–800 nm interval, the best correlation was obtained by computing the integral of the spectral reflectance curve between 643 and 795 nm, which practically covers the spectral range of maximum chlorophyll absorption (at around 670 nm) and maximum leaf reflectance in the infrared (750–800 nm). Based on a Proba/CHRIS image, a chlorophyll map was generated using NAOC and compared with the land-use (crops classification) map. The method yielded a leaf chlorophyll content map of the study area, comprising a large heterogeneous zone. An analysis was made to determine whether the method also serves to estimate the total chlorophyll content of a canopy, multiplying the leaf chlorophyll content by the LAI. To validate the method, use was made of the data from another campaign ((SEN2FLEX), in which measurements were made of different biophysical parameters of 7 crops, and hyperspectral images were obtained with the CASI imaging radiometer from an aircraft. Applying the method to a CASI image, a map of leaf chlorophyll content was obtained, which on, establishing comparisons with the experimental data allowed us to estimate chlorophyll with a root mean square error of 4.2 μg/cm², similar or smaller than other methods but with the improvement of applicability to a large set of different crop types.     

Quantitative Inversion of Vegetation Biochemical Components Based on HJ1-A HSI in Coal Mining Area

This study investigates the applicability of estimating chlorophyll and water content at canopy level through empirical models and band combinations. The main goal is to evaluate and compare the accuracy of these two approaches for estimating and mapping canopy chlorophyll and water content through canopy reflectance and spaceborne HJ1-A HSI data acquired over Yanzhou coal mining area. An experiment was carried out. Canopy spectral measurements were acquired in the field using an ASD spectroradiometer along with simultaneous in situ measurements of leaf chlorophyll content. We tested seven variables derived from canopy reflectance for detecting canopy chlorophyll and water content: (1) R, (2) Log(1/R), (3) Log(1/R)′, (4) FDR, (5) SDR, (6) CRR, (7) BD. Stepwise multiple linear regressions were used to select wavelengths from HJ1-A HSI image bands. Correlation analysis was also done between different band combinations and biochemistry. A statistically significant relationship between Log(1/R) and chlorophyll was found at canopy level (R² = 0.516). SDR had the highest correlation with canopy water content (R² = 0.490). In addition, relationship between normalized different band combinations and chlorophyll and water content is also significantly obvious (R² = 0.577 and R² = 0.615). Canopy chlorophyll content was estimated with the intermediate accuracy (R² = 0.4144), while water content was estimated with an acceptable accuracy (R² = 0.4592). Canopy chlorophyll and water content spatial distribution were mapped. Chlorophyll and water stress levels were quantified by comparing different environmental stressors.     

Assessment of RapidEye vegetation indices for estimation of leaf area index and biomass in corn and soybean crops

Leaf area index (LAI) and biomass are important indicators of crop development and the availability of this information during the growing season can support farmer decision making processes. This study demonstrates the applicability of RapidEye multi-spectral data for estimation of LAI and biomass of two crop types (corn and soybean) with different canopy structure, leaf structure and photosynthetic pathways. The advantages of Rapid Eye in terms of increased temporal resolution (∼daily), high spatial resolution (∼5 m) and enhanced spectral information (includes red-edge band) are explored as an individual sensor and as part of a multi-sensor constellation. Seven vegetation indices based on combinations of reflectance in green, red, red-edge and near infrared bands were derived from RapidEye imagery between 2011 and 2013. LAI and biomass data were collected during the same period for calibration and validation of the relationships between vegetation indices and LAI and dry above-ground biomass. Most indices showed sensitivity to LAI from emergence to 8 m²/m². The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), the red-edge NDVI and the green NDVI were insensitive to crop type and had coefficients of variations (CV) ranging between 19 and 27%; and coefficients of determination ranging between 86 and 88%. The NDVI performed best for the estimation of dry leaf biomass (CV = 27% and r² = 090) and was also insensitive to crop type. The red-edge indices did not show any significant improvement in LAI and biomass estimation over traditional multispectral indices. Cumulative vegetation indices showed strong performance for estimation of total dry above-ground biomass, especially for corn (CV ≤ 20%). This study demonstrated that continuous crop LAI monitoring over time and space at the field level can be achieved using a combination of RapidEye, Landsat and SPOT data and sensor-dependant best-fit functions. This approach eliminates/reduces the need for reflectance resampling, VIs inter-calibration and spatial resampling.     

Relationship of bidirectional reflectance of wheat with biophysical parameters and its radiative transfer modeling using PROSAIL

The algorithms for deriving vegetation biophysical parameters rely on the understanding of bi-directional interaction of radiation and its subsequent linkages with canopy radiative transfer models and their inversion. In this study, an attempt has been made to define the geometry of sensor and source position to best relate plant biophysical parameters with bidirectional reflectance of wheat varieties varying in canopy architecture and to validate the performance of PROSAIL (PROSPECT+SAIL) canopy radiative transfer model. A field experiment was conducted with two wheat cultivars varying in canopy geometry and phenology. The bidirectional measurements between 400nm–1100nm at 5nm interval were recorded every week at six view azimuth and four view zenith positions using spectro-radiometer. Canopy biophysical parameters were recorded synchronous to bi-directional reflectance measurements. The broadband reflectances were used to compute the NDVIs which were subsequently related to leaf area index and biomass. Results showed that the bidirectional reflectance increased with increase in view zenith from 20⁰ to 60⁰ irrespective of the sensor azimuth. For a given view zenith, the reflectance was observed to be maximum at 150⁰ azimuth where the difference between the sun and sensor azimuth was least. For sun azimuth of 160⁰ and zenith of 52⁰, the view geometry defined by 150⁰ azimuth and 50⁰ zenith corresponded to hotspot position. The measured bidirectional NDVI had significant logarithmic relationship with LAI and linear relationship with biomass for both the varieties of wheat and maximum correlation of NDVI with LAI and with biomass was obtained at the hotspot position. The PROSAIL validation results showed that the model simulated well the overall shape of spectra for all combination of view zenith and azimuth position for both wheat varieties with overall RMSE less than 5 per cent. The hotspot and dark spot positions were also well simulated and hence model performance may be suitable for deriving wheat biophysical parameters using satellite derived reflectances.     

高光谱反演水稻叶面积指数的主成分分析法

为了通过水稻冠层反射光谱来提取水稻叶面积指数信息，尝试利用辐射传输模型PROSPECT+SAIL来模拟水稻冠层反射光谱， 比较了各植被指数中叶面积指数(LAI)和叶绿素浓度的相关性。在观察光谱曲线后发现，红边位置光谱可以较好地区分LAI和叶绿素 浓度二者引起光谱变化的差异。由此提出对700 nm~750 nm区间内的反射光谱做主成分变换，并利用第2主成分与LAI建立反演模型( 即主成分分析法)，取得了较好效果，表明在植被指数趋近于饱和以至于无法区分二者相关性时，主成分分析法可以作为一种简单 而有效提取水稻叶面积指数信息的补充手段。     

Modelling the spectral response of the desert tree Prosopis tamarugo to water stress

In this paper, we carried out a laboratory experiment to study changes in canopy reflectance of Tamarugo plants under controlled water stress. Tamarugo (Prosopis tamarugo Phil.) is an endemic and endangered tree species adapted to the hyper-arid conditions of the Atacama Desert, Northern Chile. Observed variation in reflectance during the day (due to leaf movements) as well as changes over the experimental period (due to water stress) were successfully modelled by using the Soil-Leaf-Canopy (SLC) radiative transfer model. Empirical canopy reflectance changes were mostly explained by the parameters leaf area index (LAI), leaf inclination distribution function (LIDF) and equivalent water thickness (EWT) as shown by the SLC simulations. Diurnal leaf movements observed in Tamarugo plants (as adaptation to decrease direct solar irradiation at the hottest time of the day) had an important effect on canopy reflectance and were explained by the LIDF parameter. The results suggest that remote sensing based assessment of this desert tree should consider LAI and canopy water content (CWC) as water stress indicators. Consequently, we tested fifteen different vegetation indices and spectral absorption features proposed in literature for detecting changes of LAI and CWC, considering the effect of LIDF variations. A sensitivity analysis was carried out using SLC simulations with a broad range of LAI, LIDF and EWT values. The Water Index was the most sensitive remote sensing feature for estimating CWC for values less than 0.036 g/cm², while the area under the curve for the spectral range 910–1070 nm was most sensitive for values higher than 0.036 g/cm². The red-edge chlorophyll index (CI_red-edge) performed the best for estimating LAI. Diurnal leaf movements had an effect on all remote sensing features tested, particularly on those for detecting changes in CWC.     

A visible band index for remote sensing leaf chlorophyll content at the canopy scale

Leaf chlorophyll content is an important variable for agricultural remote sensing because of its close relationship to leaf nitrogen content. The triangular greenness index (TGI) was developed based on the area of a triangle surrounding the spectral features of chlorophyll with points at (670 nm, R₆₇₀), (550 nm, R₅₅₀), and (480 nm, R₄₈₀), where R_λ is the spectral reflectance at wavelengths of 670, 550 and 480, respectively. The equation is TGI = −0.5[(670 − 480)(R₆₇₀ − R₅₅₀) − (670 − 550)(R₆₇₀ − R₄₈₀)]. In 1999, investigators funded by NASA's Earth Observations Commercialization and Applications Program collaborated on a nitrogen fertilization experiment with irrigated maize in Nebraska. Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data and Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM) data were acquired along with leaf chlorophyll meter and other data on three dates in July during late vegetative growth and early reproductive growth. TGI was consistently correlated with plot-averaged chlorophyll-meter values at the spectral resolutions of AVIRIS, Landsat TM, and digital cameras. Simulations using the Scattering by Arbitrarily Inclined Leaves (SAIL) canopy model indicate an interaction among TGI, leaf area index (LAI) and soil type at low crop LAI, whereas at high LAI and canopy closure, TGI was only affected by leaf chlorophyll content. Therefore, TGI may be the best spectral index to detect crop nitrogen requirements with low-cost digital cameras mounted on low-altitude airborne platforms.     

LAI and chlorophyll estimation for a heterogeneous grassland using hyperspectral measurements

The study shows that leaf area index (LAI), leaf chlorophyll content (LCC) and canopy chlorophyll content (CCC) can be mapped in a heterogeneous Mediterranean grassland from canopy spectral reflectance measurements. Canopy spectral measurements were made in the field using a GER 3700 spectroradiometer, along with concomitant in situ measurements of LAI and LCC. We tested the utility of univariate techniques involving narrow band vegetation indices and the red edge inflection point, as well as multivariate calibration techniques, including stepwise multiple linear regression and partial least squares regression. Among the various investigated models, CCC was estimated with the highest accuracy (, ). All methods failed to estimate LCC (), while LAI was estimated with intermediate accuracy ( values ranged from 0.49 to 0.69). Compared with narrow band indices and red edge inflection point, stepwise multiple linear regression generally improved the estimation of LAI. The estimations were further improved when partial least squares regression was used. When a subset of wavelengths was analyzed, it was found that partial least squares regression had reduced the error in the retrieved parameters. The results of the study highlight the significance of multivariate techniques, such as partial least squares regression, rather than univariate methods such as vegetation indices in estimating heterogeneous grass canopy characteristics.     

Estimating canopy water content using hyperspectral remote sensing data

Hyperspectral remote sensing has demonstrated great potential for accurate retrieval of canopy water content (CWC). This CWC is defined by the product of the leaf equivalent water thickness (EWT) and the leaf area index (LAI). In this paper, in particular the spectral information provided by the canopy water absorption feature at 970 nm for estimating and predicting CWC was studied using a modelling approach and in situ spectroradiometric measurements. The relationship of the first derivative at the right slope of the 970 nm water absorption feature with CWC was investigated with the PROSAIL radiative transfer model and tested for field spectroradiometer measurements on two test sites. The first site was a heterogeneous floodplain with natural vegetation like grasses and various shrubs. The second site was an extensively grazed fen meadow.     

基于PROSPECT＋SAIL模型的遥感叶面积指数反演

以PROSPECT+SAIL模型为基础，从物理机理角度反演植被叶面积指数(LAI)。首先，通过FLAASH模型进行大气校正，使得图像像元值表达植被冠层反射率； 然后，根据LOPEX 93数据库和JHU光谱数据库选择植物生化参数和光谱数据，以PROSPECT模型模拟出的植物叶片反射率和透射率作为SAIL模型的输入参数，得到植被冠层反射率，将结果与遥感影像的植被冠层反射率对应，回归出植被LAI； 最后，以地面实测数据对遥感反演数据进行验证，并分析了误差的可能来源。     

Retrieval of wheat leaf area index using price approach based on inversion of canopy reflectance model

This paper reports estimation of the Leaf Area Index (LAI) of wheat crop from IRS-LISS-III data using Price (1993) approach. Empirical approach for LAI estimation with different NDVI estimation procedures viz. radiance, apparent reflectance and dark object subtraction (DOS) based atmospheric correction were also evaluated. Validation of LAI retrieval and NDVI normalizations were carried out using field level measurements of crop LAI and spectral property using canopy analyzer and spectro-radiometer, respectively over selected fields in Bhopal District, Madhya Pradesh. It was observed that empirical relations are sensitive to the NDVI estimation approach and DOS method performed better as compared to other two approaches. It was also observed that LAI estimation from Price algorithm is sensitive to the crop attenuation coefficients. Crop specific attenuation coefficients reported in literature for Indian cultivars gave higher accuracy. The root mean square (RMS) error of 0.77 for LAI estimation was achieved using above described approach.     

Retrieval of remotely sensed LAI using Landsat ETM+ data and ground measurements of solar radiation and vegetation structure: Implication of leaf inclination angle

A time series of leaf area index (LAI) of a managed birch forest in Germany (near Dresden) has been developed based on 16-day normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data from the Landsat ETM+ sensor at 30 m resolution. The Landsat ETM+ LAI was retrieved using a modified physical radiative transfer (RTM) model which establishes a relationship between LAI, fractional vegetation cover (fC), and given patterns of surface reflectance, view-illumination conditions and optical properties of vegetation. In situ measurements of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and vegetation structure parameters using hemispherical photography (HSP) served for calibration of model parameters, while data from litter collection at the study site provided the ground-based estimates of LAI for validation of modelling results. Influence of view-illumination conditions on optical properties of canopy was simulated by a view angle geometry model incorporating the solar zenith angle and the sensor viewing angle. Effects of intra-annual and inter-annual variability of structural properties of the canopy on the light extinction coefficient were simulated by implementing variability of the leaf inclination angle (LIA), which was confirmed in the study site. The results revealed good compatibility of the produced Landsat ETM+ LAI data set with the litter-estimated LAI. The results also showed high sensitivity of the LAI retrieval algorithm to variability of structural properties of the canopy: the implementation of LIA dynamics into the LAI retrieval algorithm significantly improved the model accuracy.     

山地叶面积指数反演理论、方法与研究进展

叶面积指数LAI（Leaf Area Index）是表征叶片疏密程度和冠层结构特征的重要植被参数，在气候变化、作物生长模型以及碳、水循环研究中发挥着重要作用。遥感是获取区域及全球尺度LAI的一个重要手段，当前LAI产品主要基于遥感数据反演得到，但是多数LAI产品算法并未考虑地形特征的影响，导致山地LAI遥感反演精度不确定性大。提高山地LAI遥感反演精度亟需考虑地形因子对冠层反射率的影响，其中山地冠层反射率模型和遥感数据地形校正是提升山地LAI遥感反演精度的关键。本文围绕山地LAI遥感反演理论与方法，综合分析了国内外山地冠层反射率模型和地形校正模型的研究进展，总结了目前山地LAI遥感反演存在的问题，并讨论了未来研究的发展趋势。     

Retrieval of wheat leaf area index from AWiFS multispectral data using canopy radiative transfer simulation

Accurate representation of leaf area index (LAI) from high resolution satellite observations is obligatory for various modelling exercises and predicting the precise farm productivity. Present study compared the two retrieval approach based on canopy radiative transfer (CRT) method and empirical method using four vegetation indices (VI) (e.g. NDVI, NDWI, RVI and GNDVI) to estimate the wheat LAI. Reflectance observations available at very high (56 m) spatial resolution from Advanced Wide-Field Sensor (AWiFS) sensor onboard Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) P6, Resourcesat-1 satellite was used in this study. This study was performed over two different wheat growing regions, situated in different agro-climatic settings/environments: Trans-Gangetic Plain Region (TGPR) and Central Plateau and Hill Region (CPHR). Forward simulation of canopy reflectances in four AWiFS bands viz. green (0.52–0.59 μm), red (0.62–0.68 μm), NIR (0.77–0.86 μm) and SWIR (1.55–1.70 μm) were carried out to generate the look up table (LUT) using CRT model PROSAIL from all combinations of canopy intrinsic variables. An inversion technique based on minimization of cost function was used to retrieve LAI from LUT and observed AWiFS surface reflectances. Two consecutive wheat growing seasons (November 2005–March 2006 and November 2006–March 2007) datasets were used in this study. The empirical models were developed from first season data and second growing season data used for validation. Among all the models, LAI-NDVI empirical model showed the least RMSE (root mean square error) of 0.54 and 0.51 in both agro-climatic regions respectively. The comparison of PROSAIL retrieved LAI with in situ measurements of 2006–2007 over the two agro-climatic regions produced substantially less RMSE of 0.34 and 0.41 having more R² of 0.91 and 0.95 for TGPR and CPHR respectively in comparison to empirical models. Moreover, CRT retrieved LAI had less value of errors in all the LAI classes contrary to empirical estimates. The PROSAIL based retrieval has potential for operational implementation to determine the regional crop LAI and can be extendible to other regions after rigorous validation exercise.     

基于WOFOST模型与UAV数据的玉米生长后期地上生物量估算

地上生物量能够有效反映作物的生长状态，其信息的实时估算对产量预测和农田生产管理都有重要意义。作物生长模型因其详尽的生理生化基础和对生长过程数字化描述能力，成为生物量估算的理想模型。近年来，研究人员利用数据同化算法将时间序列遥感数据同化到作物生长模型中，实现了作物模型由基于气象站的点模拟到区域尺度面模拟的外推，使生物量模拟结果同时具备大范围和机理性两个方面的特点。这一模式下，时间序列的遥感数据质量将对生物量模拟精度产生直接影响，作物生长后期受到光谱饱和的影响，遥感数据的作物冠层信息获取能力会出现明显下降，因此有必要对该阶段遥感数据和作物模型的结合方式进行优化，提升生物量模拟精度。本文针对东北地区春玉米生物量遥感估算存在的问题，提出了利用WOFOST作物模型结合无人机（UAV）遥感数据实现作物生长后期生物量准确估算的新思路。新思路首先利用多光谱遥感数据获取WOFOST模型具备较高空间异质性的土壤速效养分参数以提升模型的空间信息模拟能力，使其能在一定程度上摆脱点尺度模拟的限制。同时，结合集合卡尔曼滤波算法将生长前期无人机（UAV）遥感数据同化到模型中，以缩短模型单独运行时间，减少模型运行过程中的参数误差累积，实现无遥感数据参与下的短期作物生长模拟，并输出生长后期相应的生物量模拟结果。最后，本文利用地面实测数据对新方法的生物量模拟精度进行了评价。结果表明，与全生育期数据同化相比，新方法的生物量估算精度有了明显的提升（全生育期同化：R² = 0.45，RMSE = 4254.30 kg/ha；新方法：R²= 0.86，RMSE = 2216.79 kg/ha）。