Some Significant Current Projects

Landsat Multispectral

Scanner (MSS) and Landsat

Thematic Mapper (TM) Sensor System Characteristics

Components of the Landsat 4 and 5

Thematic Mapper

Reflectance of the Upper Surface of A Sycamore Leaf at Different Moisture Contents

GOES

GOES East and West Coverage

140ÞE 180ÞE 20ÞE

Useful GOES coverage

Communication range

GOES West

GOES East

140ÞW 100ÞW 60ÞW 20ÞW

GOES West

GOES East

GOES East and West Coverage

GOES East Infrared

August 25, 1989

AVHRR

Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) Bandwidths

Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer

(AVHRR) Imagery

Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) Mosaic of the Conterminous United States

What is NDVI?The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)

has been in use for many years to measure and monitor plant growth (vigor), vegetation cover, and biomass

production from multispectral satellite data. The NDVI image maps shown here are prepared from 1-km

AVHRR spectral data in the visible (Channel 1; 0.58-0.68 micrometers) and near infrared (Channel 2; 0.725-1.10 micrometers) regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.

NDVI is calculated as follows:

NDVI = (Channel 2 - Channel 1) / (Channel 2 + Channel 1)

The principle behind NDVI is that Channel 1 is in the red-light region of the electromagnetic spectrum where chlorophyll causes considerable absorption of incoming sunlight, whereas Channel 2 is in the near-

infrared region of the spectrum where a plant's spongy mesophyll leaf structure creates considerable reflectance (Tucker 1979, Jackson et al.1983, Tucker et al. 1991). As a result, vigorously growing healthy vegetation has low red-light reflectance and high near-infrared reflectance, and hence, high NDVI values.

This relatively simply algorithm produces output values in the range of -1.0 to 1.0. Increasing positive NDVI values, shown in increasing shades of green on the images, indicate increasing amounts of green

vegetation. NDVI values near zero and decreasing negative values indicate non-vegetated features such as barren surfaces (rock and soil) and water, snow, ice, and clouds.

http://eros.usgs.gov/

Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) Onboard Terra

Oahu, HI15 x 15 m (RGB

= 1,4,3)

Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) Onboard Terra

North ShoreOahu, HI

15 x 15 m (RGB= 1,4,3)

Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) Onboard Terra

Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, 15 x 15 m (RGB= 1,4,3)

Earth Observing System - Terra Instruments

ASTER - Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection RadiometerCERES - Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy SystemMISR - Multi-angle Imaging SpectroradiometerMODIS - Moderate-resolution Imaging SpectroradiometerMOPITT - Measurement of Pollution in the Troposphere

Discipline EOS-AM InstrumentsMeasurement

Atmosphere Cloud Properties MODIS, MISR, ASTERRadiative Energy Fluxes CERES, MODIS, MISRPrecipitationTropospheric Chemistry MOPITTStratospheric ChemistryAerosol Properties MISR, MODISAtmospheric Temperature MODISAtmospheric Humidity MODISLightning

Earth Observing System Measurements

Discipline EOS-AM InstrumentsMeasurement

Land Land Cover/Land Use Change MODIS, MISR, ASTERVegetation Dynamics MODIS, MISR, ASTERSurface Temperature MODIS, ASTERFire Occurrence MODIS, ASTERVolcanic Effects MODIS, MISR, ASTERSurface Wetness

Earth Observing System Measurements

Discipline EOS-AM InstrumentsMeasurement

Ocean Surface Temperature MODISPhytoplankton MODIS, MISRDissolved Organic Matter MODIS, MISRSurface Wind FieldsOcean Surface Topography

Cryosphere Land Ice Change ASTERSea Ice MODIS, ASTERSnow Cover MODIS, ASTER

Solar Radiation Total Solar RadiationUltraviolet Spectral Irradiance

Earth Observing System Measurements

Earth Observing System - Terra Instruments

MODIS - Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer

Spectral Range 0.4 - 14.4 mmSpectral Coverage +55˚, 2330 km swathSpatial Resolution 250 m (2 bands), 500 m (5 bands), 1000 m (29 bands)

ASTER - Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer

Spectral Range VNIR 0.4 - 14.4 mm, SWIR 1.6 - 2.5 mm, TIR 8 - 12 mmSpatial Resolution 15 m (VNIR : 3 bands)

30 m (SWIR: 6 bands) 90 m (TIR: 5 bands)

MODIS

http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/about/specifications.php