Vertical structure and aboveground biomass of tropical forests from LiDAR and L-band polarimetric interferometric radar data
Fabio
G.
Goncalves, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, fabio.goncalves@jpl.nasa.gov
(Presenting)
Robert
N.
Treuhaft, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, robert.n.treuhaft@jpl.nasa.gov
Bruce
D.
Chapman, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, bruce.d.chapman@jpl.nasa.gov
Beverly
E.
Law, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, bev.law@oregonstate.edu
Luciano
V.
Dutra, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, dutra@dpi.inpe.br
Joao Roberto
Santos, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, jroberto@dsr.inpe.br
This study addresses the extraction of parameters characterizing the vertical structure of tropical forests from LiDAR and L-band polarimetric interferometric radar (PolInSAR) data and their use in the estimation of aboveground biomass. The overall goal is to advance remote sensing techniques for operational monitoring of biomass and biomass change in tropical regions, where deforestation contributes around 12% of greenhouse gas emissions.
Preliminary analysis using a repeat-track baseline of the spaceborne radar ALOS/PALSAR over the Tapajós region, Brazil, shows that interferometric phase is strongly correlated with field-measured canopy height, with correlation coefficients as high as 0.9. Nonetheless, the observed phases vary over a range about two times greater than that expected due to canopy height variation alone – as calculated from the partial derivative of phase with respect to height, αz – indicating that confounding factors such as residual topography may be influencing the observed relationships.
Work is currently being undertaken to extract reliable phase and coherence information in the presence of temporal decorrelation. This will allow a more comprehensive assessment of the quality of PALSAR interferometry over tropical forests. Future work includes using physical models to estimate structural parameters (e.g. mean canopy height or Fourier transforms of vegetation density profiles) from single- and few-baseline PALSAR data; comparing the results to field-based measurements of forest structure; and understanding the accuracy of estimated aboveground biomass from remotely sensed structural parameters.
Presentation Type: Poster
Poster Session: Ecosystems Science
NASA TE Funded Awards Represented:
Treuhaft, Robert
The Performance of Structure and Biomass Estimation from InSAR 3-D Vegetation Missions at L-band over Tropical Forests