Approaches For Spectral Characterization Of Tree Species Of Araku Forest Eastern Ghats Using Chris Proba Imagery And Canopy Upscaling Models By Assimilating Leaf Biophysical Chemical Parameters

Abstract

The advancements in hyperspectral remote sensing escalated the research in forestry-related to newlinespecies identification, discrimination, and health assessment. The technology aided in the newlinedevelopment of a spectral library of various species that enable researchers to map species newlinewithout the need foran expensive field inventory. The research focus of this thesis is to generate newlinea temporal spectral database for ten selected species of Araku forest, the Eastern Ghats using newlinefield inventories (multiple seasons), hyperspectral satellite data, and canopy upscaling models. newlineThe properties of leaf/bunch of leaves sampled from the bottom of trees may vary, and a direct newlineanalogy with canopy properties will lead to substantial overestimation/underestimation of the newlinespectral reflectance of the tree.Hitherto researchers applied upscaling techniques with wellknown PROSPECT, SAIL, FLIGHT models, but so far, no model (in forestry) developed for newlineleaf upscaling, within the country using field-collected leaf reflectance spectra and their newlinebiochemical parameters. Towards this objective, the current study proposes an upscaling model newline SEMULS (Semi-Empirical Model for Upscaling Leaf Spectra), a unique and first of its kind newlineof model to upscale leaf spectra to canopy. newlineThe spectra extracted for the selected species from satellite data are correlated with canopy newlinespectra derived from leaf reflectance spectra obtained from the field using SEMULS. The newlineoutputs of the model are validated for its applicability by comparing with upscaled spectra newlinederived from popular PROSPECT and DART 3D models. The SEMULS model is unique in newlineretaining the minute dips and peaks of the spectra, which are important in discriminating (80% newlinematching at 5deg or less threshold) species, unlike other models that smoothen spectra using newlinedifferent filters. The upscaled canopy spectra (SEMULS) is further used to classify selected newlinespecies in the study area from CHRIS-PROBA satellite data, using the SAM method and newlinevalidated based on GPS locations observed from the field. The study also