An evaluation of the synergy of satellite passive microwave observations between 1.4 and 36 GHz, for vegetation characterization over the Tropics

REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT

卷:257

Article

Prigent, Catherine^1,2  Jimenez, Carlos^1,2 

[1] PSL, LERMA, Paris Observ, CNRS, 61 Ave Observ, F-75014 Paris, France

[2] Estellus, 93 Blvd Sebastopol, F-75002 Paris, France

关键词: Microwave imagers;    Vegetation remote sensing;    NDVI;    Above ground carbon;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.rse.2021.112346

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Satellite passive microwave observations from 1.4 to 36 GHz already showed sensitivity to vegetation parameters, primarily through the calculations of the Vegetation Optical Depth (VOD) at individual window frequencies, separately. Here we evaluate the synergy of this frequency range for vegetation characterization, through the estimation of two vegetation parameters, its foliage and the photosynthesis activity as described by the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and its woody components and carbon stock as described by the Above Ground Carbon (AGC), using different combinations of channels in the considered frequency range. Neural network retrievals are trained on these two vegetation parameters (NDVI and AGC), for several microwave channel combinations, including the future Copernicus Imaging Microwave Radiometer (CIMR) that will observe simultaneously in window channels from 1.4 to 36 GHz, for the first time. This methodology avoids the use of any assumptions in the complex interaction between the surface (vegetation and soil) and the radiation, as well as any ancillary observations, to propose a genuine and objective evaluation of the information content of the passive microwave frequencies for vegetation characterization. Our analysis quantifies the synergy of the microwave frequencies from 1.4 to 36 GHz, and shows the expected potential of the CIMR instrument for the monitoring of vegetation parameters in tropical environments, as compared to current instruments. It also confirms that the 1.4 GHz observations have a high sensitivity to AGC, as compared to the other single frequencies up to 36 GHz, at least under tropical environments.

【 授权许可】

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