The role of remote sensing in Climate Change

Mitigation and Adaptation

SPOT 2001 NDVI SPOT 2001

Landsat Bands

Remote Sensing System Resolutions

• Spectral - Energy

• Spatial - Pixel size

• Temporal - Repeat time

• Radiometric

Cost vs Accuracy tradeoffSome areas will be more costly to monitor- clouds, hilly

terrain, other drivers of deforestation.Need for cost effective solutions

Satellites for Remote Sensing of the Environment

Satellite Resolution #Spectral bands Repeat time

QuickBird2 0.6, 2.5 5 taskedIKONOS2 1,4 5 3daysOrbView3 1,5,1000 5 1 dayLandsat (TM,ETM+) 15,30,60 7–8 14daysIRS (LISS III) 5,23,70 5EOS(ASTER) 15,30,90 14 45daysAVIRIS 224 26 daySPOT 2.5,5,10 5 taskedEOS(Hyperion) 30 220 taskedEOS(MODIS) 250,500,1000 36 1-2daysNOAA (AVHRR) 1100 5 1 day

Spatial Coverage

Forest

Eucalyptus

Remote Sensing plays a key role in climate change research

–combined with ground measurements

Extrapolation of plot measurements to the regional or national level

Integrated approach

Landscape level Landscape level Landscape level

Species level field data

1726

Meso level – 30 m 2 90 m 2

20 34

13 1927

1517

26

Meso level – 30 m 2 90 m 2

20 34

13 1927

15

Meso level - 225m 2 -72900m 2

Quality field data

Develop a method to link species level data with MODIS/Landsat/SPOT image.

SPOT 2001 NDVI SPOT 2001

Landsat MSS TM ETM+MODIS

Landsat most widely used sensor for studies of the environment•Both free, Easy to obtain•30m Resolution, 500m•Landsat time series back to the 1970’s

Landsat 7 Spectral Bands•Blue•Green•Red•Near Infrared•Mid Infrared1•Mid Infrared 2•Thermal

Indices

•NDVI•NDMI•VI• EVI• Develop new indices/models

Climate Change

• Integrated approach• Scales• Landscapes• Regional processes

• Students/faculty trained in both remote sensing and ecology

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