SPATIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SURFACE AND ATMOSPHERIC PROPERTIES DURING HARTX

Remote sensing and ground measurements were used to evaluate the homog eneity of the Scots pine plantation of Hartheim and the interactions b etween the forest and its surroundings during HartX(1). Remote sensing data contribute to characterization of the Scots pine plantation of H artheim in terms of surface properties and thermal and biological char acteristics of the forest. The surroundings of the main experiment sit e in the forest has homogenous normalized difference vegetation index, microwave specie and brightness temperatures to all directions for at least 500 m. Local sensible heat flux estimates using satellite measu red brightness temperatures and in situ measured wind and air temperat ures showed good agreement. On some days during HartX the test area wa s influenced by advection of dry air from the northern Upper Rhine Val ley. Agricultural surroundings close to the forest, are influenced by breezes flowing out of the forest during radiative nights with weak la rge-scale motion.