Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Monitoring Boreal Forests by Using Imaging Radars

  • Chapter
Fire, Climate Change, and Carbon Cycling in the Boreal Forest

Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 138))

  • 667 Accesses

Abstract

The past decade has seen the deployment of a new class of space-borne remote sensors that use imaging radars to monitor the earth’s surface. Several operational radar systems have been launched on satellites by the European Space Agency (ESA), Japan, and Canada during this decade for monitoring the earth’s polar oceans and geological exploration. In addition, the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), in conjunction with the space agencies of Germany and Italy, deployed a multichannel imaging radar system on NASA’s space shuttle. This system collected a multifrequency, multipolarization data set over a large portion of the earth’s surface between the latitudes of 60° north and 60° south during two separate missions in April and October 1994.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Bergen, K.M., M.C. Dobson, L.E. Pierce, and F.T. Ulaby. 1998. Characterizing carbon in a northern forest by using SIR-C/X-SAR imagery. Remote Sens. Environ. 63:24–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boehnke, K., and V.R. Wismann. 1997. Detecting soil thawing in Siberia with ERS scatterometer and SAR, pp. 35–40 in Proceedings of the 3rd ERS Symposium on Space at the Service of Our Environment, Florence, Italy, March 17–21, 1997. Publication SP-414. ESA. Noodwiik. The Netherlands.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bourgeau-Chavez, L.L., P.A. Harrell, E.S. Kasischke, and N.H.F. French. 1997. The detection and mapping of Alaskan wildfires using a spaceborne imaging radar system. Int. J. Remote Sens. 18:355–373.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bourgeau-Chavez, L.L., E.S. Kasischke, and M.D. Rutherford. In press. Evaluation of ERS SAR data for prediction of fire danger in a boreal region. Int. J. Wildland Fire.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, W.M., and L.J. Porcello. 1969. An introduction to synthetic aperture radar. IEEE Spectrum 6:52–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dobson, M.C., F.T. Ulaby, L.E. Pierce, T.L Sharik, K.M. Bergen, J. Kellndorter, J.R. Kendra, E. Li, Y.C. Lin, A. Nashashibi, K.L. Sarabandi, and P. Siqueira, 1995. Estimation of forest biomass characteristics in northern Michigan with SIR-C/XSAR data. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 33:877–894.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dobson, M.C., L.E. Pierce, and F.T. Ulaby 1996. Knowledge-based land-cover classification using ERS-1 /JERS-1 SAR composites. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 34:83–99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elachi, C. 1987. Introduction to the Physics and Techniques ofRemote Sensing. John Wiley & Sons, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • French, N.H.F., E.S. Kasischke, L.L. Bourgeau-Chavez, P. Harrell, and N.L. Christensen, Jr. 1996a. Monitoring variations in soil moisture on fire disturbed sites in Alaska using ERS-1 SAR imagery. Int. J. Remote Sens. 17:3037–3053.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • French, N.H.F., E.S. Kasischke, R. D. Johnson, L.L. Bourgeau-Chavez, A.L. Frick, and S.L. Ustin. 1996b. Using multi-sensor satellite data to monitor carbon flux in Alaskan boreal forests, pp. 808–826 in J.S. Levine, ed. Biomass Burning and Climate Change, Vol. 2: Biomass Burning in South America, Southeast Asia, and Temperate and Boreal Ecosystems, and the Oil Fires of Kuwait. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA.

    Google Scholar 

  • French, N.H.F., L.L. Bourgeau-Chavez, Y. Wang, and E.S. Kasischke. 1999. Initial observations of Radarsat imagery at fire-disturbed sites in interior Alaska. Remote Sens. Environ. 68:89–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harrell, P., L.L. Bourgeau-Chavez, E.S. Kasischke, N.H.F. French, and N.L. Christensen. 1995. Sensitivity of ERS-1 and JERS-1 radar data to biomass and stand structure in Alaskan boreal forest. Remote Sens. Environ. 54:247–260.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harrell, RA, E.S. Kasischke, L.L. Bourgeau-Chavez, E. Haney, and N.L. Christensen. 1997. Evaluation of approaches to estimating of aboveground biomass in southern pine forests using SIR-C imagery. Remote Sens. Environ. 59:223–233.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hess, L.L., J.M. Melack, and D.S. Simmonett. 1990. Radar detection of flooding beneath the forest canopy: a review. Int. J Remote Sens. 11:1313–1325.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jensen, H., L.C. Graham, L.J. Porcello, and E. Leith. 1977. Side-looking airborne radar. Sci. Am. 237:84–95.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kasischke, E.S., and L.L. Bourgeau-Chavez. 1997. Monitoring south Florida wetlands using ERS-1 SAR imagery. Photogram. Eng. Remote Sens. 33:281–291.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kasischke, E.S., L.L. Bourgeau-Chavez, N.H.F. French, P. Harrell, and N.L. Christensen, Jr. 1992. Initial observations on the use of SAR imagery to monitor wildfires in boreal forests. Int. j Remote Sens. 13:3495–3501.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kasischke, E.S., L.L. Bourgeau-Chavez, N.L. Christensen, Jr., and E. Haney. 1994a. Observations on the sensitivity of ERS-1 SAR image intensity to changes in aboveground biomass in young loblolly pine forests. Int. J. Remote Sens. 15:3–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kasischke, E.S., L.L. Bourgeau-Chavez, and N.H.F. French. 1994b. Observations of variations in ERS-1 SAR image intensity associated with forest fires in Alaska. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 32:206–210.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kasischke, E.S., L. Morrissey, J.B. Way, N.H.F. French, L.L. Bourgeau-Chavez, E. Rignot, J.A. Steam, and G.P. Livingston. 1995a. Monitoring seasonal variations in boreal ecosystems using multitemporal spaceborne SAR data. Can. J. Remote Sens. 21:96–109.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kasischke, E.S., N.L. Christensen, Jr., and L. L. Bourgeau-Chavez. 1995b. Correlating radar backscatter with components of biomass in loblolly pine forests. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 33:643–659.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kasischke, E.S., N.H.F. French, L.L. Bourgeau-Chavez, and N.L. Christensen, Jr. 1995c. Estimating release of carbon from 1990 and 1991 forest fires in Alaska. J. Geophys. Res. 100:2941–2951.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kasischke, E.S., N.L. Christensen, Jr., and B. J. Stocks. 1995d. Fire, global warming and the mass balance of carbon in boreal forests. Ecol. Appl. 5:437–451.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kasischke, E.S., J.M. Melack, and M.C. Dobson. 1997a. The use of imaging radars for ecological applications a review, Remote Sens. Environ. 59:141–156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kasischke, E.S., N.H.F. French, and L.L. Bourgeau-Chavez. 1997b. Monitoring of the effects of fire in North American boreal forests using ERS SAR imagery, pp. 363–368 in Proceedings of the 3rd ERS Symposium on Space at the Service of Our Environment,Florence, Italy, March 17–21, 1997. Publication SP-414. ESA, Noodwijk, The Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  • Kwok, R., E. Rignot, J.B. Way, A. Freeman, and J. Holt. 1994. Polarization signatures of frozen and thawed forests of varying environmental state. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 32:371–381.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrissey, L.A., G.P. Livingston, and S.L. Durden. 1994. Use of SAR in regional methane exchange studies. Int. I Remote Sens. 15:1337–1342.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrissey, S.L., Durden, L.A., G.P. Livingston, J.A. Steam, and L.S. Guild. 1996. Differentiating methane source areas in arctic environments with multitemporal ERS-1 SAR data. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 34:667–673.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oechel, W.C., G.L. Vourlitis, S.J. Hastings, and S.A. Bochkarev. 1995. Change in arctic CO2 flux over two decades of climate change at Barrow, Alaska. Ecol. Appl. 5:846–855.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rignot, E., and J.B. Way. 1994. Monitoring freeze-thaw cycles along north-south Alaskan transects usine ERS-1 SAR. Remote Sens. Environ. 49:131–137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rignot, E., C. Williams, J.B. Way, and L. Viereck. 1994a. Mapping of forest types in Alaskan boreal forests using SAR imagery. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 32:1051–1059

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rignot, E., J.B. Way, C. Williams, and L. Viereck.1994b. Radar estimates of aboveground biomass in boreal forests of interior Alaska. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 32:1117–1124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rignot, E., J.B. Way, K. McDonald, L. Viereck, C. Williams, P. Adams, C. Payne, W. Wood, and J. Shi. 1994c. Monitoring of environmental conditions in taiga forests using ERS-1 SAR. Remote Sens. Environ. 49:145–154.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Zyl, J.J. 1989. Unsupervised classification of scattering behavior using radar polarimetry data. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 27:36–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, Y., E.S. Kasischke, F.W. Davis, J.M. Melack, and N.L. Christensen, Jr. 1994. The effects of changes in loblolly pine biomass and soil moisture variations on ERS-1 SAR backscatter a comparison of observations with theory. Remote Sens. Environ. 49:25–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, Y., F.W. Davis, J.M. Melack, E.S. Kasischke, and N.L. Christensen, Jr. 1995. The effects of changes in forest biomass on radar backscatter from tree canopies. Int. J Remote Sens. 16:503–513.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Way, J., J. Paris, E.S. Kasischke, C. Slaughter, L. Viereck, N. Christensen, M.C. Dobson, F. Ulaby, J. Richards, A. Milne, A. Sieber, F.J. Ahern, D. Simonett, R. Hoffer, M. Imhoff, and J. Weber. 1990. The effect of changing environmental conditions on microwave signatures of forest ecosystems: preliminary results of the March 1988 Alaska aircraft SAR experiment. Int. J. Remote Sens. 11:1119–1144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Way, J.B., E. Rignot, K.C. McDonald, R. Oren, R. Kwok G. Bonan, M.C. Dobson, L.A. Viereck, and J.A. Roth. 1994. Evaluating the type and state of Alaska taiga forests with imaging radar for use in ecosystem models. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 32:353–370.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Eric S. Kasischke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Laura L. Bourgeau-Chavez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Nancy H. F. French
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Peter A. Harrell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Research Institute of Michigan, 48105, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Eric S. Kasischke

  2. Canadian Forest Service—Ontario Region, P6A 5M7, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada

    Brian J. Stocks

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2000 Springer-Verlag New York, Inc.

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Kasischke, E.S., Bourgeau-Chavez, L.L., French, N.H.F., Harrell, P.A. (2000). Monitoring Boreal Forests by Using Imaging Radars. In: Kasischke, E.S., Stocks, B.J. (eds) Fire, Climate Change, and Carbon Cycling in the Boreal Forest. Ecological Studies, vol 138. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-21629-4_18

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-21629-4_18

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-9532-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-21629-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation