Chapter 1
Indices of Vegetation Activity
Alfredo Huete, Tomoaki Miura, Hiroki Yoshioka, Piyachat Ratana
and Mark Broich
Abstract In this chapter we explain satellite-based vegetation indices (VIs) as
dynamic spectral measures of vegetation activity. VIs are among the most widely
used satellite products in monitoring ecosystems and agriculture, resource management, and estimations of many biophysical canopy properties. A theoretical
basis for their formulation is presented and we describe how VIs are processed and
composited from satellite imagery. Recent trends in their validation and quality
assessment using in situ tower measurements are also discussed. Finally, a cross
section of major findings involving the use of satellite VIs in ecological and
climate science is presented and we conclude with research challenges and environmental issues that will drive future uses of satellite VIs.
1.1 Introduction
Vegetation indices (VIs) are spectral measures of the green foliage, and in some
cases, moisture status of a canopy. They are seamless and highly robust satellite
measurements computed the same across all pixels in time and space. Due in part
to their simplicity and transparency, they are among the most widely used satellite
products, providing key measurements in productivity, phenology, climate,
hydrology, biogeochemical and biodiversity studies. They have become indispensable tools across an array of ecological, agricultural, and natural resource
management applications.
A. Huete (&) Á P. Ratana Á M. Broich
University of Technology Sydney, NSW, Australia
e-mail: Alfredo.Huete@uts.edu.au
T. Miura
University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA
H. Yoshioka
Aichi Prefectural University, Aichi, Japan
J. M. Hanes (ed.), Biophysical Applications of Satellite Remote Sensing,
Springer Remote Sensing/Photogrammetry, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-25047-7_1,
Ó Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014
1
Indices of Vegetation Activity
Alfredo Huete, Tomoaki Miura, Hiroki Yoshioka, Piyachat Ratana
and Mark Broich
Abstract In this chapter we explain satellite-based vegetation indices (VIs) as
dynamic spectral measures of vegetation activity. VIs are among the most widely
used satellite products in monitoring ecosystems and agriculture, resource management, and estimations of many biophysical canopy properties. A theoretical
basis for their formulation is presented and we describe how VIs are processed and
composited from satellite imagery. Recent trends in their validation and quality
assessment using in situ tower measurements are also discussed. Finally, a cross
section of major findings involving the use of satellite VIs in ecological and
climate science is presented and we conclude with research challenges and environmental issues that will drive future uses of satellite VIs.
1.1 Introduction
Vegetation indices (VIs) are spectral measures of the green foliage, and in some
cases, moisture status of a canopy. They are seamless and highly robust satellite
measurements computed the same across all pixels in time and space. Due in part
to their simplicity and transparency, they are among the most widely used satellite
products, providing key measurements in productivity, phenology, climate,
hydrology, biogeochemical and biodiversity studies. They have become indispensable tools across an array of ecological, agricultural, and natural resource
management applications.
A. Huete (&) Á P. Ratana Á M. Broich
University of Technology Sydney, NSW, Australia
e-mail: Alfredo.Huete@uts.edu.au
T. Miura
University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA
H. Yoshioka
Aichi Prefectural University, Aichi, Japan
J. M. Hanes (ed.), Biophysical Applications of Satellite Remote Sensing,
Springer Remote Sensing/Photogrammetry, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-25047-7_1,
Ó Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014
1