Dy. Chen et W. Brutsaert, SATELLITE-SENSED DISTRIBUTION AND SPATIAL PATTERNS OF VEGETATION PARAMETERS OVER A TALLGRASS PRAIRIE, Journal of the atmospheric sciences, 55(7), 1998, pp. 1225-1238
Remotely sensed images of vegetation density expressed as the Normaliz
ed Difference Vegetation index (NDVI) recorded during the First ISLSCP
(International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project) Field Expe
riment were mapped on the same coordinate system covering the 20 km x
20 km experimental site. The temporal behavior of frequency distributi
ons and semivariograms of the NDVI exhibited similarity; these distrib
utions were quite Symmetric, except near the extremes. Although values
at individual locations showed considerable scatter, when averaged ov
er the experimental area, the NDVI values were well correlated with gr
ound-based measurements of the leaf area index. The persistence tenden
cies of the spatial patterns of NDVI were evaluated through correlatio
n analysis of the images on successive days. The spatial patterns were
preserved well during wet periods; they gradually changed by deep dry
ing of the soil but were restored after heavy rainfall.