NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Ecological applications of high resolution spectrometryFuture directions of NASA's space program plans include a significant effort at studying the Earth as a system of interrelated ecosystems. As part of NASA's Earth Observing System (Eos) Program a series of space platforms will be launched and operated to study the Earth with a variety of active and passive instruments. Several of the Eos instruments will be capable of imaging the planet's surface reflectance on a large number of very narrow portions of the solar spectrum. After the development of appropriate algorithms, this reflectance information will be used to determine key parameters about the structure and function of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and the pattern and processes of those systems across large areas of the globe. Algorithm development applicable to terrestrial systems will permit the inference of ecological processes from high resolution spectrometry data, similar to that to be forthcoming from the Eos mission. The first summer was spent working with tropical soils and relating their reflectance characteristics to particle size, iron content, and color. This summer the emphasis is on vegetation and work was begun with the Forest Ecosystems Dynamics Project in the Earth Resources Branch where both optical and radar characteristics of a mixed conifer/hardwood forest in Maine are being studied for use in a ecological modeling effort. A major series of aircraft overflights will take place throughout the summer. Laboratory and field spectrometers are used to measure the spectral reflectance of a hierarchy of vegetation from individual leaves to whole canopies for eventual modeling of their nutrient content using reflectance data. Key leaf/canopy parameters are being approximated including chlorophyll, nitrogen, phosphorus, water content, and leaf specific weight using high resolution spectrometry alone. Measurements are made of carbon exchange across the landscape for input to a spatial modeling effort to gauge production within the forest. A Geographic Information System approach is used to associate these data, images, and other collateral information for the forest into a database with a common projection suitable for spatial modeling.
Document ID
19910016607
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Lawrence, William T.
(Puerto Rico Univ. San Juan., United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
September 1, 1989
Publication Information
Publication: Maryland Univ., The 1989 NASA-ASEE Summer Faculty Fellowship Program in Aeronautics and Research
Subject Category
Environment Pollution
Accession Number
91N25921
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available