Hyperspectral Optical Properties, Remote Sensing, and Underwater Visibility

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert A. Maffione
Author(s):  
Hibiki M. Noda ◽  
Hiroyuki Muraoka ◽  
Kenlo Nishida Nasahara

AbstractThe need for progress in satellite remote sensing of terrestrial ecosystems is intensifying under climate change. Further progress in Earth observations of photosynthetic activity and primary production from local to global scales is fundamental to the analysis of the current status and changes in the photosynthetic productivity of terrestrial ecosystems. In this paper, we review plant ecophysiological processes affecting optical properties of the forest canopy which can be measured with optical remote sensing by Earth-observation satellites. Spectral reflectance measured by optical remote sensing is utilized to estimate the temporal and spatial variations in the canopy structure and primary productivity. Optical information reflects the physical characteristics of the targeted vegetation; to use this information efficiently, mechanistic understanding of the basic consequences of plant ecophysiological and optical properties is essential over broad scales, from single leaf to canopy and landscape. In theory, canopy spectral reflectance is regulated by leaf optical properties (reflectance and transmittance spectra) and canopy structure (geometrical distributions of leaf area and angle). In a deciduous broadleaf forest, our measurements and modeling analysis of leaf-level characteristics showed that seasonal changes in chlorophyll content and mesophyll structure of deciduous tree species lead to a seasonal change in leaf optical properties. The canopy reflectance spectrum of the deciduous forest also changes with season. In particular, canopy reflectance in the green region showed a unique pattern in the early growing season: green reflectance increased rapidly after leaf emergence and decreased rapidly after canopy closure. Our model simulation showed that the seasonal change in the leaf optical properties and leaf area index caused this pattern. Based on this understanding we discuss how we can gain ecophysiological information from satellite images at the landscape level. Finally, we discuss the challenges and opportunities of ecophysiological remote sensing by satellites.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rei Kudo ◽  
Tomoaki Nishizawa ◽  
Toshinori Aoyagi ◽  
Yasushi Fujiyoshi ◽  
Yuji Higuchi ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 3935-3954 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirk Knobelspiesse ◽  
Sreeja Nag

Abstract. Determination of aerosol optical properties with orbital passive remote sensing is a difficult task, as observations often have limited information. Multi-angle instruments, such as the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) and the POlarization and Directionality of the Earth's Reflectances (POLDER), seek to address this by making information-rich multi-angle observations that can be used to better retrieve aerosol optical properties. The paradigm for such instruments is that each angle view is made from one platform, with, for example, a gimballed sensor or multiple fixed view angle sensors. This restricts the observing geometry to a plane within the scene bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) observed at the top of the atmosphere (TOA). New technological developments, however, support sensors on small satellites flying in formation, which could be a beneficial alternative. Such sensors may have only one viewing direction each, but the agility of small satellites allows one to control this direction and change it over time. When such agile satellites are flown in formation and their sensors pointed to the same location at approximately the same time, they could sample a distributed set of geometries within the scene BRDF. In other words, observations from multiple satellites can take a variety of view zenith and azimuth angles and are not restricted to one azimuth plane as is the case with a single multi-angle instrument. It is not known, however, whether this is as potentially capable as a multi-angle platform for the purposes of aerosol remote sensing. Using a systems engineering tool coupled with an information content analysis technique, we investigate the feasibility of such an approach for the remote sensing of aerosols. These tools test the mean results of all geometries encountered in an orbit. We find that small satellites in formation are equally capable as multi-angle platforms for aerosol remote sensing, as long as their calibration accuracies and measurement uncertainties are equivalent. As long as the viewing geometries are dispersed throughout the BRDF, it appears the quantity of view angles determines the information content of the observations, not the specific observation geometry. Given the smoothly varying nature of BRDF's observed at the TOA, this is reasonable and supports the viability of aerosol remote sensing with small satellites flying in formation. The incremental improvement in information content that we found with number of view angles also supports the concept of a resilient mission comprised of multiple satellites that are continuously replaced as they age or fail.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (23) ◽  
pp. 3975
Author(s):  
Bonyad Ahmadi ◽  
Mehdi Gholamalifard ◽  
Tiit Kutser ◽  
Stefano Vignudelli ◽  
Andrey Kostianoy

Currently, satellite ocean color imageries play an important role in monitoring of water properties in various oceanic, coastal, and inland ecosystems. Although there is a long-time and global archive of such valuable data, no study has comprehensively used these data to assess the changes in the Caspian Sea. Hence, this study assessed the variability of bio-optical properties of the upper-water column in the Southern Caspian Sea (SCS) using the archive of the Sea-Viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor (SeaWiFS) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). The images acquired from SeaWiFS (January 1998 to December 2002) and MODIS Aqua (January 2003 to December 2015) satellites were used to investigate the spatial–temporal variability of bio-optical properties including Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), attenuation coefficient, and remote sensing reflectance, and environmental parameters such as sea surface temperature (SST), wind stress and the El Nino-southern oscillation (ENSO) phenomena at different time lags in the study area. The trend analysis demonstrated an overall increase of 0.3358 mg m−3 in the Chl-a concentration during 1998–2015 (annual increase rate of 0.018 mg m−3 year−1) and four algal blooms and in turn an abnormal increase in Chl-a concentration were occurred in August 2001, September 2005, 2009, and August 2010. The linear model revealed that Chl-a in the northern and middle part of the study area had been influenced by the attenuation coefficient after a one-month lag time. The analysis revealed a sharp decline in Chl-a concentration during 2011–2015 and showed a high correlation with the turbidity and attenuation coefficient in the southern region, while Kd_490nm and remote sensing reflectance did a low one. Generally, Chl-a concentration exhibited a positive correlation with the attenuation coefficient (r = 0.63) and with remote sensing reflectance at the 555 nm (r = 0.111). This study can be used as the basis for predictive modeling to evaluate the changes of water quality and bio-optical indices in the Southern Caspian Sea (SCS).


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (18) ◽  
pp. 11843-11864 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huizheng Che ◽  
Xiangao Xia ◽  
Hujia Zhao ◽  
Oleg Dubovik ◽  
Brent N. Holben ◽  
...  

Abstract. Multi-year observations of aerosol microphysical and optical properties, obtained through ground-based remote sensing at 50 China Aerosol Remote Sensing Network (CARSNET) sites, were used to characterize the aerosol climatology for representative remote, rural, and urban areas over China to assess effects on climate. The annual mean effective radii for total particles (ReffT) decreased from north to south and from rural to urban sites, and high total particle volumes were found at the urban sites. The aerosol optical depth at 440 nm (AOD440 nm) increased from remote and rural sites (0.12) to urban sites (0.79), and the extinction Ångström exponent (EAE440–870 nm) increased from 0.71 at the arid and semi-arid sites to 1.15 at the urban sites, presumably due to anthropogenic emissions. Single-scattering albedo (SSA440 nm) ranged from 0.88 to 0.92, indicating slightly to strongly absorbing aerosols. Absorption AOD440 nm values were 0.01 at the remote sites versus 0.07 at the urban sites. The average direct aerosol radiative effect (DARE) at the bottom of atmosphere increased from the sites in the remote areas (−24.40 W m−2) to the urban areas (−103.28 W m−2), indicating increased cooling at the latter. The DARE for the top of the atmosphere increased from −4.79 W m−2 at the remote sites to −30.05 W m−2 at the urban sites, indicating overall cooling effects for the Earth–atmosphere system. A classification method based on SSA440 nm, fine-mode fraction (FMF), and EAE440–870 nm showed that coarse-mode particles (mainly dust) were dominant at the rural sites near the northwestern deserts, while light-absorbing, fine-mode particles were important at most urban sites. This study will be important for understanding aerosol climate effects and regional environmental pollution, and the results will provide useful information for satellite validation and the improvement of climate modelling.


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