Training Module on Monitoring Vegetation From Space

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• 5 - Vegetation Products
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• 5.1 - Definitions
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• 5.2 - Spatial Coverage of the LSA SAF Vegetation Products
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• 5.3 - Temporal Resolution & Data Availability
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• 5.4 - Product Content
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• 5.5 - Algorithms
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• 5.6 - Overall quality of LSA SAF Vegetation Products
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• 5.7 - Scientific validation of LSA SAF products
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• 5.8 - Comparison of LSA SAF to Polar-Orbiter Derived Products and Applications
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• 5.9 - Further Applications of LSA SAF Vegetation Products

5 - Vegetation Products

Satellite observations are a valuable tool for the monitoring of dynamic processes occurring at the earth surface. The changes in the structure and the functioning of vegetation are part of such processes, that can be detected through remote sensing. In particular, FVC (Fractional Vegetation Cover), LAI (Leaf Area Index) and fAPAR (Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation) are key variables for a wide range of land biosphere applications (Product User Manual (PUM) of LSA SAF Vegetation Products).

In this chapter you will learn:

• how this variables can be retrieved from satellite observations;
• the main applications of this vegetation products;
• the main characteristics of FVC, LAI and fAPAR estimated on the aim of the LSA SAF project;
• the advantages of using geostationary satellite derived products in comparison to polar orbiters;