Imaging Spectroscopy, Spectral Analysis, and Radiative Transfer Modeling in Support of Coral Reef Ecosystem Biodiversity Research for Coral Patch Reefs in Puerto Rico

Liane Guild, NASA Ames Research Center, liane.s.guild@nasa.gov (Presenter)
Roy Armstrong, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, roy.armstrong@upr.edu
Bradley Lobitz, University Corporation at Monterey Bay/NASA Ames Research Center, bradley.m.lobitz@nasa.gov
James Goodman, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, james.goodman1@upr.edu
Fernando Gilbes, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, fernando.gilbes@upr.edu
Randall Berthold, NASA Ames Research Center, randall.w.berthold@nasa.gov
Juan Torres, NASA Postdoctoral Program/NASA Ames Research Center, juan.l.torresperez@nasa.gov
Yasmin Detres, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, ydetres@yahoo.com
Carmen Zayas, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, ccastula@gmail.com>
Jeremy Kerr, Nova Southeastern University, jkerr@csumb.edu
Orian Tzadik, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, jerotzadik@yahoo.com

NASA’s Twin Otter aircraft and imaging sensors have been used to fly over ongoing coral reef research sites in Southwestern Puerto Rico to collect high resolution imagery to support coral reef ecosystem research. The goal is to better understand how light scatters and reflects in shallow aquatic ecosystems. These results will lead to the optimization of current and future remote sensing sensors and data for ecosystem research in the coastal zone. Specifically, this airborne capability addresses the use of remote sensing and field data to interpret reef habitat variability and biodiversity in sites experiencing bleaching, disease, and intense wave action from hurricanes that may become more frequent due to climate change. The airborne sensors consist of a high resolution digital camera system (DCS, NASA Airborne Sensor Facility) and the Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory). The project began with the Caribbean August/September 2005 coral reef bleaching event and a subsequent airborne mission in December 2005 over Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This research focuses on the remote sensing data collected over Puerto Rico following the bleaching event. After AVIRIS preprocessing, two routes were followed to yield benthic-cover images: 1) an analytical inversion model and spectral unmixing and 2) Hydrolight model runs. Hydrolight results were benthic composition images. Field measurements of benthic types including spectral properties and species composition are integrated with the AVIRIS data to interpret coral reef ecosystem biodiversity. Science objectives for this study included using AVIRIS data and field measurements to assess reef ecosystem community structure following the 2005 coral bleaching event, as well as improve the interpretation of reef habitat variability and biodiversity from imaging spectroscopy (hyperspectral) data related to algorithms that could be used for future HyspIRI data.

Presentation: 2011_Poster_Guild_185_241.ppt (10669k)

Presentation Type:  Poster

Session:  Global Change Impact & Vulnerability   (Tue 11:30 AM)

Associated Project(s): 

• Guild, Liane: Coral Reef Bleaching and Threats to Biodiversity ...details

Poster Location ID: 185