A framework for consistent estimation of leaf area index, fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation, and surface albedo from MODIS time-series data

Zhiqiang Xiao, Shunlin Liang, Jindi Wang, Donghui Xie, Jinling Song, Rasmus Fensholt

    Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

    37 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Currently available land-surface parameter products are generated using parameter-specific algorithms from various satellite data and contain several inconsistencies. This paper developed a new data assimilation framework for consistent estimation of multiple land-surface parameters from time-series MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) surface reflectance data. If the reflectance data showed snow-free areas, an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) technique was used to estimate leaf area index (LAI) for a two-layer canopy reflectance model (ACRM) by combining predictions from a phenology model and the MODIS surface reflectance data. The estimated LAI values were then input into the ACRM to calculate the surface albedo and the fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (FAPAR). For snow-covered areas, the surface albedo was calculated as the underlying vegetation canopy albedo plus the weighted distance between the underlying vegetation canopy albedo and the albedo over deep snow. The LAI/FAPAR and surface albedo values estimated using this framework were compared with MODIS collection 5 eight-day 1-km LAI/FAPAR products (MOD15A2) and 500-m surface albedo product (MCD43A3), and GEOV1 LAI/FAPAR products at 1/112° spatial resolution and a ten-day frequency, respectively, and validated by ground measurement data from several sites with different vegetation types. The results demonstrate that this new data assimilation framework can estimate temporally complete land-surface parameter profiles from MODIS time-series reflectance data even if some of the reflectance data are contaminated by residual cloud or are missing and that the retrieved LAI, FAPAR, and surface albedo values are physically consistent. The root mean square errors of the retrieved LAI, FAPAR, and surface albedo against ground measurements are 0.5791, 0.0453, and 0.0190, respectively.
    Original languageEnglish
    JournalI E E E Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing
    Volume53
    Issue number6
    Pages (from-to)3178-3197
    ISSN0196-2892
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2015

    Cite this