Multitemporal L- and C-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar To Highlight Differences in Water Status Among Boreal Forest and Wetland Systems in the Yukon Flats, Interior Alaska

Balser, Andrew W.; Wylie, Bruce K.

Abstract:

Tracking landscape-scale water status in high-latitude boreal systems is indispensible to understanding the fate of stored and sequestered carbon in a climate change scenario. Spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery provides critical information for water and moisture status in Alaskan boreal environments at the landscape scale. When combined with results from optical sensor analyses, a complementary picture of vegetation, biomass, and water status emerges. Whereas L-band SAR showed better inherent capacity to map water status, C-band had much more temporal coverage in this study. Analysis through the use of L- and C-band SARs combined with Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) enables landscape stratification by vegetation and by seasonal and interannual hydrology. Resultant classifications are highly relevant to biogeochemistry at the landscape scale. These results enhance our understanding of ecosystem processes relevant to carbon balance and may be scaled up to inform regional carbon flux estimates and better parameterize general circulation models (GCMs).

Genre:

USGS Numbered Series

ProdID:

98231

Citation Author:

Balser, Andrew W.; Wylie, Bruce K.

Citation Contributing Office:

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center

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Citation Language:

ENGLISH

Citation Larger Work Title:

Citation LatN:

0662300

Citation LatS:

0661100

Citation LonE:

-1455300

Citation LonW:

-1462600

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Citation Phsyical Description:

iv, 21 p.

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Citation Publisher:

U.S. Geological Survey

Citation Series:

Open-File Report

Citation Series Code:

OFR

Citation Series Number:

2010-1027

Citation Search Results Text:

Multitemporal L- and C-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar To Highlight Differences in Water Status Among Boreal Forest and Wetland Systems in the Yukon Flats, Interior Alaska; 2010; OFR; 2010-1027; Balser, Andrew W.; Wylie, Bruce K.