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estimate the distribution of types of targets (e.g., dominant plant cover types, or
most commonly soil, green vegetation, and non-photosynthetic vegetation fraction) in a landscape.
Spectral reflectance Reflectance expressed as a function of wavelength (i.e., as
a spectrum).
Spectral reflectance profile See spectral reflectance.
Spectral resolution related to a sensor’s ability to resolve the features of an electromagnetic spectrum. The resolution depends on the number and width of spectral bands measured by an instrument and is often defined as the bandwidth at
half the maximum amplitude of the spectral response per band (“full width half
maximum”).
Spectral response function The mathematical and/or graphical description of a
spectral pattern, typically associated with a spectral band. In remote sensing,
generally is used to describe the response across wavelengths measured in a
specific band (e.g., in imaging spectroscopy, the reflectance at different wavelengths surrounding the center wavelength, or “full width half maximum,” of the
wave band).
Spectral scale Spectral resolution and wavelength range.
Spectral signals features in a spectrum determined by specific absorbing and
scattering patterns.
Spectral signature The specific (in theory, unique) shape of the spectrum of a
specific vegetation type, plant species, or any particular material or combination
of materials. Also known as spectral fingerprint.
Spectral space A multidimensional space with axes consisting of wavelength
bands, or combinations of wavelengths bands (e.g., principal component axes,
spectral indices).
Spectral species Types (categories or groupings) of spectra, typically determined
using unsupervised classification that may or may not match to actual biological
(taxonomically defined) species. They can be used to estimate alpha diversity,
beta diversity, and gamma diversity.
Spectral traits (ST) features in the reflectance or absorption spectra of plant
compounds, leaves, canopies, ecosystems, or landscapes that can be meaningfully interpreted and directly or indirectly associated with underlying sources of
variation in plants—at the relevant scale of detection—such as their anatomical,
chemical, morphological, biophysical, physiological, structural, phenological, or
functional characteristics that are influenced by phylogenetic, taxonomic, population, community, environmental, ecosystem, and/or landscape-level properties.
Spectral trait variation (STV) changes to spectral traits that can be directly or
indirectly recorded by spectroscopic techniques in space, over time, among samples or within a sample.
Spectral type A group of organisms or species that share similar spectral profiles
(see also “spectral species,” “endmember,” and “optical type”); can also refer to
a characteristic spectral pattern associated with a particular group of organisms
or species.
Spectral variability See spectral diversity.
Glossary
estimate the distribution of types of targets (e.g., dominant plant cover types, or
most commonly soil, green vegetation, and non-photosynthetic vegetation fraction) in a landscape.
Spectral reflectance Reflectance expressed as a function of wavelength (i.e., as
a spectrum).
Spectral reflectance profile See spectral reflectance.
Spectral resolution related to a sensor’s ability to resolve the features of an electromagnetic spectrum. The resolution depends on the number and width of spectral bands measured by an instrument and is often defined as the bandwidth at
half the maximum amplitude of the spectral response per band (“full width half
maximum”).
Spectral response function The mathematical and/or graphical description of a
spectral pattern, typically associated with a spectral band. In remote sensing,
generally is used to describe the response across wavelengths measured in a
specific band (e.g., in imaging spectroscopy, the reflectance at different wavelengths surrounding the center wavelength, or “full width half maximum,” of the
wave band).
Spectral scale Spectral resolution and wavelength range.
Spectral signals features in a spectrum determined by specific absorbing and
scattering patterns.
Spectral signature The specific (in theory, unique) shape of the spectrum of a
specific vegetation type, plant species, or any particular material or combination
of materials. Also known as spectral fingerprint.
Spectral space A multidimensional space with axes consisting of wavelength
bands, or combinations of wavelengths bands (e.g., principal component axes,
spectral indices).
Spectral species Types (categories or groupings) of spectra, typically determined
using unsupervised classification that may or may not match to actual biological
(taxonomically defined) species. They can be used to estimate alpha diversity,
beta diversity, and gamma diversity.
Spectral traits (ST) features in the reflectance or absorption spectra of plant
compounds, leaves, canopies, ecosystems, or landscapes that can be meaningfully interpreted and directly or indirectly associated with underlying sources of
variation in plants—at the relevant scale of detection—such as their anatomical,
chemical, morphological, biophysical, physiological, structural, phenological, or
functional characteristics that are influenced by phylogenetic, taxonomic, population, community, environmental, ecosystem, and/or landscape-level properties.
Spectral trait variation (STV) changes to spectral traits that can be directly or
indirectly recorded by spectroscopic techniques in space, over time, among samples or within a sample.
Spectral type A group of organisms or species that share similar spectral profiles
(see also “spectral species,” “endmember,” and “optical type”); can also refer to
a characteristic spectral pattern associated with a particular group of organisms
or species.
Spectral variability See spectral diversity.
Glossary