Project Funding:
2011 - 2012
NRA: 2010 NASA: Science Definition Team for Carbon Monitoring System
Funded by NASA
Abstract:
The principal investigator proposes a set of activities that will be carried out as a member of the Science Definition Team (SDT) for NASA's Biomass and Carbon Storage Pilot Product (BCSPP). The PI would provide expertise in the broad area of impacts of natural disturbances (fire, insects, and hurricanes) on forest carbon stocks, with a strong foundation in research on the impacts of fire on carbon cycling in boreal forests. The foundation for serving on the SDT is based on > 20 years of research on satellite mapping of fires, using SAR to estimate aboveground biomass in boreal and temperate forests, using VIS/IR data to assess post-disturbance vegetation recovery, developing approaches to estimate biomass consumption during fires, and developing approaches to use information derived from remote sensing data in carbon cycle models. The PI also has directed and carried out field studies used to develop and validate remote sensing information products and has access to or knows of data sets that can be used for validation activities associated with the BCSPP. The PI organized and led a disturbance synthesis activity for the North American Carbon Program that involved 100 researchers from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. This activity not only provides an understanding of data sets needed to quantify the impacts of disturbance on terrestrial carbon budgets, but provides a foundation for liaisons with the broader scientific community (along with the extensive contacts the researcher has with scientists conducting carbon cycle research in the boreal forest). Specific expertise that the PI will provide to the BCSPP and its SDT include: (a) evaluation of the remotely-sensed data products being used in the BCSPP to map natural disturbances to forests; (b) evaluation of the approaches used to map aboveground biomass using PALSAR, with a specific focus on errors introduced by variations in soil moisture; (c) evaluate of approaches to estimate carbon consumed during fires; and (d) assessment of approaches needed to model how natural disturbances influence stand carbon cycle dynamics. The PI will provide written reports to the members of the BCSPP and SDT on his evaluations of specific products and approaches. The PI will also aid in identification of sites that could be used during validation activities, and identify additional field data sets that could be used. The PI will also participate in activities to define and develop products that can be used by policy makers and managers. Finally, the PI will work with members of the BCSPP and SDT in developing a plan for the development of global biomass product.
More details may be found in the following project profile(s):
