Quantitative Remote Sensing of Land Surfaces

Processing the vast amounts of data on the Earth's land surface environment generated by NASA's and other international satellite programs is a significant challenge. Filling a gap between the theoretical, physically-based modelling and specific applications, this in-depth study presents practical quantitative algorithms for estimating various land surface variables from remotely sensed observations. A concise review of the basic principles of optical remote sensing as well as practical algorithms for estimating land surface variables quantitatively from remotely sensed observations. Emphasizes both the basic principles of optical remote sensing and practical algorithms for estimating land surface variables quantitatively from remotely sensed observations Presents the current physical understanding of remote sensing as a system with a focus on radiative transfer modelling of the atmosphere, canopy, soil and snow Gathers the state of the art quantitative algorithms for sensor calibration, atmospheric and topographic correction, estimation of a variety of biophysical and geoph ysical variables, and four-dimensional data assimilation

Processing the vast amounts of data on the Earth's land surfaceenvironment generated by NASA's and other international satelliteprograms is a significant challenge. Filling a gap between thetheoretical, physically-based modelling and specific applicationsthis in-depth study presents practical quantitative algorithms forestimating various land surface variables from remotely sensedobservations.A concise review of the basic principles of optical remote sensingas well as practical algorithms for estimating land surfacevariables quantitatively from remotely sensed observations.Emphasizes both the basic principles of optical remote sensing andpractical algorithms for estimating land surface variablesquantitatively from remotely sensed observationsPresents the current physical understanding of remote sensing as asystem with a focus on radiative transfer modelling of theatmosphere, canopy, soil and snowGathers the state of the art quantitative algorithms for sensorcalibration, atmospheric and topographic correction, estimation ofa variety of biophysical and geoph ysical variables, andfour-dimensional data assimilation

Preface xvAcronyms xixChapter 1 Introduction 1Chapter 2 Atmospheric Shortwave Radiative Transfer Modeling 25Chapter 3 Canopy Reflectance Modeling 76Chapter 4 Soil and Snow Reflectance Modeling 143Chapter 5 Satellite Sensor Radiometric Calibration 178Chapter 6 Atmospheric Correction of Optical Imagery 196Chapter 7 Topographic Correction Methods 231Chapter 8 Estimation of Land Surface Biophysical variables 246Chapter 9 Estimation of Surface Radiation Budget: I. Broadband Albedo 310Chapter 10 Estimation of Surface Radiation Budget: II. Longwave 345Chapter 11 Four-Dimensional Data Assimilation 398Chapter 12 Validation and Spatial Scaling 431Chapter 13 Applications 472Appendix CD-ROM Content 525Index 528