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Global LAI/FPAR Earth System Data Records from NPP-VIIRS to Extend the EOS-MODIS Time Series
Project Funding: 2011 - 2014
NRA: 2010 NASA: NPP Science Team for Climate Data Records
Funded by NASA
Abstract:One of the goals of the NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP), scheduled for launch in late 2011, is to provide a continuation of the EOS record of climate-quality observations in the post-EOS sensor era. However, not all of the new science data products being produced by EOS were included in the NPP and NPOESS programs when they were first planned, as the NRA acknowledges. The successful EOS experience and broad community use of these products, especially LAI and FPAR, suggests inclusion of these products in the NPP and NPOESS programs - the NRA recognizes this explicitly "New investigations to develop scientific approaches for continuing key ESDRs begun by EOS that cannot be continued by NPP/NPOESS due either to their omission from the initial plans for NPP/NPOESS or to known performance limitations of the instruments currently in development." The NRA further states that "Measurement of vegetation reflectance properties allows estimation of ... leaf area index (LAI), fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (FPAR)" that is, the absence of the LAI/FPAR product in the list EDR is not due to known performance limitations of the instruments. The justification for continuing the EOS MODIS LAI/FPAR data series with NPP-VIIRS and NPOESS measurements may be succinctly summarized as follows: (1) these products have a large user base, (2) the algorithm is mature and proven to generate accurate products, (3) the products can be generated with minimal investment from VIIRS data, and (4) the resulting continuous, well-characterized, long time series will facilitate answering critical Earth system science, global change, and/or applied sciences questions, thus meeting the primary goal of the NPP/NPOESS missions. In light of above, the primary objective of this proposal is to extend the MODIS LAI and FPAR product series through the term of the NPP-VIIRS mission. This objective is realized through three sets of research activities - (A) VIIRS LAI/FPAR algorithm development, prototyping and implementation Task 1: Ensuring Continuity Between MODIS and VIIRS Task 2: Refinement of Algorithm Theoretical Formulation for Continuity Task 3: Adjustment for VIIRS Spatial and Spectral Features Task 4: Algorithm Coding, PEATE Integration and Prototyping (B) Evaluation of VIIRS LAI/FPAR ESDRs for accuracy, precision, uncertainty, spatial coverage and continuity Task 5: Spatial Coverage Task 6: Continuity and Consistency Task 7: Precision Task 8: Accuracy and Uncertainty (C) VIIRS project activities. Task 9: Quality Assessment and Project Activities Task 10: Community-Support and Outreach Activities Task 11: ATBD and User Guide The tangible end product of this proposal will be a continuous, well-characterized, long time series of global LAI and FPAR products, spanning the EOS and NPP era, suitable for research in Earth system science, global change and applied sciences.
Publications:
Xu, B., Li, J., Park, T., Liu, Q., Zeng, Y., Yin, G., Zhao, J., Fan, W., Yang, L., Knyazikhin, Y., Myneni, R. B. 2018. An integrated method for validating long-term leaf area index products using global networks of site-based measurements. Remote Sensing of Environment. 209, 134-151. DOI: 10.1016/j.rse.2018.02.049
2013 NASA Terrestrial Ecology Science Team Meeting Poster(s)
2011 NASA Carbon Cycle & Ecosystems Joint Science Workshop Poster(s)
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