Project Number: 1265-13610-027-49
Project Type: Reimbursable

Start Date: Oct 01, 2005
End Date: Nov 30, 2008

Objective:
The primary objective of this project is to refine and validate a scalable surface-flux-modeling system that can be driven by thermal and shortwave remote sensing imagery from multiple satellite platforms. The utility of these techniques in identifying ecosystem evaporative response to natural and anthropogenic stressors will be evaluated in a case study application in the Florida Everglades.

Approach:
An existing multi-scale flux mapping approach will be validated with data collected at several U.S. research sites in agricultural, forested, semiarid desert, arid-temperate grassland and wetland areas. In addition, we will develop two new techniques for enhancing the remote-sensing data used by these modeling algorithms: 1) a thermal-sharpening technique to sharpen thermal band imagery to resolutions associated with visible/near-infrared bands; and 2) a flux-bootstrapping technique to improve extrapolation of instantaneous flux predictions to reliable daily totals. Maps of surface moisture stress over the Florida Everglades will be examined at regional scales to assess relationships between seasonal watershed water balance and land-use, and at fine scales to investigate the impacts of restoration and water management activities on local hydrologic conditions within these sensitive coastal biomes.