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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1993

Microwave dielectric properties of boreal forest trees

The knowledge of vegetation dielectric behavior is important in studying the scattering properties of the vegetation canopy and radar backscatter modelling. Until now, a limited number of studies have been published on the dielectric properties in the boreal forest context. This paper presents the results of the dielectric constant as a function of depth in the trunks of two common boreal forest species: black spruce and trembling aspen, obtained from field measurements. The microwave penetration depth for the two species is estimated at C, L, and P bands and used to derive the equivalent dielectric constant for the trunk as a whole. The backscatter modelling is carried out in the case of black spruce and the results are compared with the JPL AIRSAR data. The sensitivity of the backscatter coefficient to the dielectric constant is also examined.

Xu, G.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Tropical forest tree stands characterization with L-band polarimetric radar

The effectiveness of using L-band polarimetric data to determine tropical tree-stand parameters is discussed with specific attention given to the correction of the radar data. Tree-parameter data from ground studies is compared to L-band polarimetric data (in both uncorrected and topographically corrected forms) for two test areas. The test sites are at two different elevations but both include 81 test plots with topographic data and tree-characteristic data given. Synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) data are found to be related to bole volume and tree volume, and the topographically corrected data show results similar to the uncorrected data. Similar r-values are given for both data sets because the data with incidence-angle values below 35 and above 55 are removed. Topographical correction is important when local incidence angles exceed the limits.

Wu, Shih-Tseng↗
NASA NTRS2021

Trees Outside Forests are an Underestimated Resource in a Country with Low Forest Cover

Trees outside forests (TOF) are an underrepresented resource in forest poor nations. As a result of their frequent omission from national forest resource assessments and a lack of readily available very-high-resolution remotely sensed imagery, TOF status and characterization has until now, been unknown. Here, we assess the capacity of openly available 10 m ESA Sentinel constellation satellite imagery for mapping TOF extent at the national level in Bangladesh. In addition, we estimate canopy height for TOF using a TanDEM-X DEM. We map 2,233,578 ha of TOF in Bangladesh with a mean canopy height of 7.3 m. We map 31 and 53% more TOF than existing estimates of TOF and forest, respectively. We find TOF in Bangladesh is nationally fragmented as a consequence of agricultural activity, yet is capable of maintaining connectedness between remaining stands. Now, TOF accounting is feasible at the national scale using readily available datasets, enabling the mainstream inclusion of TOF in national forest resource assessments for other countries.

Nathan Thomas↗
NASA NTRS2015

Mapping Species Composition of Forests and Tree Plantations in Northeastern Costa Rica with an Integration of Hyperspectral and Multitemporal Landsat Imagery

An efficient means to map tree plantations is needed to detect tropical land use change and evaluate reforestation projects. To analyze recent tree plantation expansion in northeastern Costa Rica, we examined the potential of combining moderate-resolution hyperspectral imagery (2005 HyMap mosaic) with multitemporal, multispectral data (Landsat) to accurately classify (1) general forest types and (2) tree plantations by species composition. Following a linear discriminant analysis to reduce data dimensionality, we compared four Random Forest classification models: hyperspectral data (HD) alone; HD plus interannual spectral metrics; HD plus a multitemporal forest regrowth classification; and all three models combined. The fourth, combined model achieved overall accuracy of 88.5%. Adding multitemporal data significantly improved classification accuracy (p less than 0.0001) of all forest types, although the effect on tree plantation accuracy was modest. The hyperspectral data alone classified six species of tree plantations with 75% to 93% producer's accuracy; adding multitemporal spectral data increased accuracy only for two species with dense canopies. Non-native tree species had higher classification accuracy overall and made up the majority of tree plantations in this landscape. Our results indicate that combining occasionally acquired hyperspectral data with widely available multitemporal satellite imagery enhances mapping and monitoring of reforestation in tropical landscapes.

hyperspectral fusion↗
NASA NTRS2006

Merging IceSAT GLAS and Terra MODIS Data in Order to Derive Forest Type Specific Tree Heights in the Central Siberian Boreal Forest

Mapping of boreal forest's type, biomass, and other structural parameters are critical for understanding of the boreal forest's significance in the carbon cycle, its response to and impact on global climate change. We believe the nature of the forest structure information available from MISR and GLAS can be used to help identify forest type, age class, and estimate above ground biomass levels beyond that now possible with MODIS alone. The ground measurements will be used to develop relationships between remote sensing observables and forest characteristics and provide new information for understanding forest changes with respect to environmental change. Lidar is a laser altimeter that determines the distance from the instrument to the physical surface by measuring the time elapsed between the pulse emission and the reflected return. Other studies have shown that the returned signal may identify multiple returns originating from trees, building and other objects and permits the calculation of their height. Studies using field data have shown that lidar data can provide estimates of structural parameters such as biomass, stand volume and leaf area index and allows remarkable differentiation between primary and secondary forest. NASA's IceSAT Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) was launched in January 2003 and collected data during February and September of that year. This study used data acquired over our study sites in central Siberia to examine the GLAS signal as a source of forest height and other structural characteristics. The purpose of our Siberia project is to improve forest cover maps and produce above-ground biomass maps of the boreal forest in Northern Eurasia from MODIS by incorporating structural information inherent in the Terra MISR and ICESAT Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) instruments. A number of forest cover classifications exist for the boreal forest. We believe the limiting factor in these products is the lack of structural information, particularly in the vertical dimension. The emphasis of this project is to improve upon satellite maps of boreal forest structure parameters (i.e. height and biomass) using temporal, multi-angle, and vertical profile information of GLAS data. The existing and near future lidar data is useful for demonstrating these techniques and pursuing current estimates. Future lidar missions may be several years in the future, so we will work other new data sets that may aide in biomass estimates such as ALOS PALSAR We will continue this work to produce an accurate map of current above ground forest phytomass/carbon storage possible for the study area. We plan to develop, test, and integrate remote sensing methods for extracting forest canopy structure measures. We are compiling our field measurements and will compare them with the remote sensing methods where possible. We also be able to produce a realistic error bound on the remotely sensed carbon estimates.

Ranson, K. Jon↗
NASA NTRS1970

Remote sensing of changes in morphology and physiology of trees under stress

Results of continuing studies of forest trees subjected to varying types of stress are reported. Both greenhouse and field studies are included. Greenhouse work with tree seedlings exposed to varying levels of NaCl and CaCl2 in the soil indicated that, in the initial stages, palisade cells shrink and the amount of air space in the leaf increases. As the severity of damage increases, the cells of the spongy mesophyll shrink and flatten, and the amount of air space in the leaf decreases. Statistical analysis of foliar reflectance and associated moisture content data led to a series of regression equations for predicting foliar moisture content from reflectance data. Equations were calculated for three species, yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton), sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) and white ash (Fraxinus americana L.) having multiple correlation coefficients of 0.98, 0.94 and 0.93 respectively. Interpretation of multispectral imagery of the Ann Arbor Forestry Test Site (NASA Site 190) provided evidence that infections of Fomes annosus can be detected in the early stages. Infections of two needle cast diseases were also detected in conifer plantations in the test site. A study of automatic interpretation of multispectral scanner imagery for tree species recognition provided encouraging results.

Olson, C. E., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2000

BOREAS TE-9 In Situ Understory Spectral Reflectance Within the NSA

The Boreal Ecosystem-Atmospheric Study (BOREAS) TE-9 (Terrestrial Ecology) team collected several data sets related to chemical and photosynthetic properties of leaves in boreal forest tree species. Spectral reflection coefficients of the forest understory at the ground level, in three boreal forest sites of Northern Manitoba (56 N latitude and 98 W longitude), were obtained and analyzed in 1994. In particular, angular variation of the reflection coefficients in the old jack pine and young jack pine forests, as well as nadir reflection coefficient in the young aspen forest, were investigated. The complexity of understory composition and the light patterns limited quantitative conclusions; however, a number of interesting trends in the behavior of the measured values can be inferred. In particular, the unique spectral profiles of lichens show very strongly in the old jack pine understory, yet are definitely less conspicuous for young jack pine, and virtually absent in the aspen forest. The angular variation of the reflection coefficient by the young pine understory seems to be significantly toned down by fine-structured branches and their shadows. Our study also indicates how difficult the ground reflection coefficient problem in a forest is, compared to certain previously investigated areas that have a more uniform appearance, such as prairie grassland, bare soil, or agricultural crops. This is due to several factors, generally typical of a forest environment, that may influence the overall understory reflection coefficient, including: (1) a strong diversity of the forest floor due to the presence of dead tree trunks, holes in the ground, patches of different types of vegetation or litter, etc.; (2) pronounced 3-D structures at the ground level, such as shrubs, bushes, and young trees; and (3) an irregular shadow mosaic, which not only varies with the time of the day, causing intensity variations, but likely also effectively modifies the spectrum of the illuminating light and hence the reflection coefficient signal as well The data are stored in tabular ASCII files. The data files are available on a CD-ROM (see document number 20010000884), or from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC).

Hall, Forrest G.↗
NASA NTRS2000

BOREAS TE-4 Branch Bag Data From Boreal Tree Species

The BOREAS TE-4 team collected continuous records of gas exchange under ambient conditions from intact boreal forest trees in the BOREAS NSA from 23-Jul-1996 until 14-Aug-1996. These measurements can be used to test models of photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, and leaf respiration, such as SiB2 (Sellers et al., 1996) or the leaf model (Collatz et al., 1991), and programs can be obtained from the investigators. The data are stored in tabular ASCII files. The data files are available on a CD-ROM (see document number 20010000884), or from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC).

Hall, Forrest G.↗
NASA NTRS2000

BOREAS TGB-8 Monoterpene Concentration Data over the SSA-OBS

The BOREAS TGB-8 team collected data to investigate the controls over NMHC fluxes from boreal forest tree species. This data set contains measurements of monoterpene concentrations in collected foliar gas emissions and foliar samples. The data were collected at the OJP and OBS tower flux sites in the SSA and were the locus for the monoterpene emission measurements. These areas contained mature stands of jack pine and black spruce and were the focal sites in the BOREAS program for studies of biosphere/atmosphere exchange from these two habitat types. The OBS site is situated in a black spruce/sphagnum bog with the largest trees 155 years old and 10-15 m tall. The OJP site is in a jack pine forest, 80 to 120 years old, which lies on a sandy bench of glacial outwash with the largest tree standing 15 m tall. Temporally, the data cover the period of 24-May-1994 to 19-Sep-1994. The data are stored in tabular ASCII files.

Hall, Forrest G.↗
NASA NTRS2000

BOREAS TGB-8 Photosynthetic Rate Data over the SSA-OBS and the SSA-OJP

The BOREAS TGB-8 team collected data to investigate the controls over NMHC fluxes from boreal forest tree species. This data set includes measurements of photosynthetic rates at mature jack pine and black spruce sites. The data were collected at the OJP and OBS tower flux locations in the BOREAS SSA. These areas contained mature stands of jack pine and black spruce and were the focal sites in the BOREAS program for studies of biosphere/atmosphere exchange from these two habitat types. The OBS site is situated in a black spruce/sphagnum bog with the largest trees 155 years old and 10-15 m tall. The OJP site is in a jack pine forest, 80 to 120 years old, which lies on a sandy bench of glacial outwash with the largest tree standing 15 m tall. Temporally, the data cover the period of 24-May-1994 to 19-Sep-1994. The data are stored in tabular ASCII files.

Hall, Forrest G.↗
NASA NTRS2000

BOREAS TGB-8 Starch Concentration Data Over the SSA-OBS and the SSA-OJP

The BOREAS TGB-8 team collected data to investigate the controls over NMHC fluxes from boreal forest tree species. This data set includes measurements of starch concentrations in foliar samples at mature jack pine and black spruce sites. The data were collected at the OJP and OBS tower flux locations in the BOREAS SSA. These areas contained mature stands of jack pine and black spruce and were the focal sites in the BOREAS program for studies of biosphere/atmosphere exchange from these two habitat types. The OBS site is situated in a black spruce/sphagnum bog with the largest trees 155 years old and 10-15 m tall. The OJP site is in a jack pine forest, 80 to 120 years old, which lies on a sandy bench of glacial outwash with the largest tree standing 15 m tall. Temporally, the data cover the period of 24-May-1994 to 19-Sep-1994. The data are stored in tabular ASCII files.

Lerdau, Manuel↗
NASA NTRS1978

Improving forest cover classification accuracy from Landsat by incorporating topographic information

The paper shows that accuracies of computer classification of species-specific forest cover types from Landsat imagery can be improved by 27% or more through the incorporation of topographic information from digital terrain tapes registered to multidate Landsat imagery. The topographic information improves classification accuracies because many common forest tree species have preferred elevation ranges and slope aspects. These preferences allow the separation of forest cover types which have similar spectral signatures but different species compositions. It is noted that the development of a classification system which uses prior probabilities and sets of prior probabilities conditioned by one or two external variables represents a significant increase in classification power.

Strahler, A. H.↗
NASA NTRS2000

BOREAS TE-9 NSA Leaf Chlorophyll Density

The BOREAS TE-9 team collected several data sets related to chemical and photosynthetic properties of leaves in boreal forest tree species. These data were collected to help provide an explanation of potential seasonal and spatial changes of leaf pigment properties in boreal forest species at the NSA. At different dates (FFC-Winter, FFC-Thaw, IFC-1, IFC-2, and IMC-3), foliage samples were collected from the upper third of the canopy for five NSA sites (YJP, OJP, OBS, UBS, and OA) near Thompson, Manitoba. Subsamples of 100 needles for black spruce, 20 needles for jack pine, and single leaf for trembling aspen were cut into pieces and immersed in a 20-mL DMF aliquot in a Nalgene test tube. The extracted foliage materials were then oven-dried at 68 C for 48 hours and weighed. Extracted leaf dry weight was converted to a total leaf area basis to express the chlorophyll content in mg/sq cm of total leaf area. The data are provided in tabular ASCII files. The data files are available on a CD-ROM (see document number 20010000884), or from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC).

Hall, Forrest G.↗
NASA NTRS2000

BOREAS TE-9 PAR and Leaf Nitrogen Data for NSA Species

The Boreal Ecosystem-Atmospheric Study (BOREAS) TE-9 (Terrestrial Ecology) team collected several data sets related to chemical and photosynthetic properties of leaves in boreal forest tree species. This data set describes the relationship between photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) levels and foliage nitrogen in samples from six sites in the BOREAS Northern Study Area (NSA) collected during the three 1994 intensive field campaigns (IFCs). This information is useful for modeling the vertical distribution of carbon fixation for these different forest types in the boreal forest. The data were collected to quantify the relationship between PAR and leaf nitrogen of black spruce, jack pine, and aspen. The data are available in tabular ASCII files. The data files are available on a CD-ROM (see document number 20010000884), or from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC).

Hall, Forrest G.↗
NASA NTRS2000

BOREAS TE-9 NSA Photosynthetic Capacity and Foliage Nitrogen Data

The Boreal Ecosystem-Atmospheric Study (BOREAS) TE-9 (Terrestrial Ecology) team collected several data sets related to chemical and photosynthetic properties of leaves in boreal forest tree species. This data set describes the spatial and temporal relationship between foliage nitrogen concentration and photosynthetic capacity in the canopies of black spruce, jack pine, and aspen located within the Northern Study Area (NSA). The data were collected from June to September 1994 and are useful for modeling the vertical distribution of carbon fixation for different forest types in the boreal forest. The data are available in tabular ASCII files. The data files are available on a CD-ROM (see document number 20010000884), or from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC).

Hall, Forrest G.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Fluorescent antibody detection of microorganisms in terrestrial environments

The fluorescent antibody technique and its use in direct microscopic examination of the soil is discussed. Feasibility analyses were made to determine if the method could be used to simultaneously observe and recognize microorganisms in the soil. Some data indicate this may be possible. Data are also given on two related problems involving the interaction of soil microorganisms with plant roots to form symbiotic structures. One was concerned with the developmental ecology and biology of the root nodule of alder and the second was concerned with the ectotrophic mycorrhizal structure on forest trees, especially pines. In both, the fluorescent antibody detection of the microbial symbiont both as a free living form in soil, and as a root inhabiting form in the higher plant was emphasized. A third aspect of the research involved the detection of autotrophic ammonia oxidizing microorganisms in soil.

Schmidt, E. L.↗