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Author

D.K. McIver

Other affiliations: Oracle Corporation
Bio: D.K. McIver is an academic researcher from Boston University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Land cover & Statistical classification. The author has an hindex of 7, co-authored 13 publications receiving 2595 citations. Previous affiliations of D.K. McIver include Oracle Corporation.

Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This product provides maps of global land cover at 1-km spatial resolution using several classification systems, principally that of the IGBP, and a supervised classification methodology is used that exploits a global database of training sites interpreted from high-resolution imagery in association with ancillary data.

2,379 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A method for incorporating prior probabilities in remote-sensing-based land cover classification using a supervised decision-tree classification algorithm that allows robust probabilities of class membership to be estimated from nonparametric supervised classification algorithms using a technique known as boosting.

214 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors present a method to estimate pixel-scale land cover classification confidence using nonparametric machine learning methods based on recent theoretical developments from the domains of statistics and machine learning that explain the machine learning technique known as "boosting" as being equivalent to additive logistic regression.
Abstract: Conventional approaches to accuracy assessment for land cover maps produced from remote sensing use either confusion matrices or the Kappa statistic to quantify map quality. These approaches yield global or class-specific measures of map quality by comparing classification results with independent ground-truth data. In most maps, considerable spatial variation is present in the accuracy of land cover labels that is not captured by these statistics. To date, this issue has rarely been addressed in the land cover remote sensing literature. The authors present a method to estimate pixel-scale land cover classification confidence using nonparametric machine learning methods. The method is based on recent theoretical developments from the domains of statistics and machine learning that explain the machine learning technique known as "boosting" as being equivalent to additive logistic regression. As a result, results from classification algorithms that use boosting can be assigned classification confidences based on probability estimates assigned to them using this theory. they test this approach using three different data sets. Their results demonstrate that classification errors tend to have low classification confidence while correctly classified pixels tend to have higher confidence. Thus, the method described in this paper may be used as a basis for providing spatially explicit maps of classification quality. This type of information will provide substantial additional information regarding map quality relative to more conventional quality measures and should be useful to end-users of map products derived from remote sensing.

102 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe the compilation and assessment of a new map of North American land cover produced through the application of advanced pattern recognition techniques to multitemporal satellite data.
Abstract: Land cover is a key boundary condition in weather, climate, and terrestrial biogeochemical models. Until recently, such models have used maps depicting potential vegetation, which are known to be of relatively poor quality, to parameterize land surface properties. In this paper we describe the compilation and assessment of a new map of North American land cover produced through the application of advanced pattern recognition techniques to multitemporal satellite data. This map was produced in a fully automated fashion using supervised classification methods that are robust, fully automated, and repeatable. The processing flow described in this paper is a prototype of the algorithm to be used to generate maps of global land cover using data from EOS MODIS. The superior quality and timeliness of these maps should be very useful for a wide array of sub-continental to global-scale modeling and analysis activities.

53 citations

Book ChapterDOI
01 Jan 2001
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors focus on optical remote sensing technologies, including airborne radar, video imaging systems, and satellite instruments with high spatial and spectral resolution, which provide detailed information regarding topography and vegetation structure in three dimensions.
Abstract: Remote sensing has become a widely used tool in ecology. Examples of ecological applications that use remote sensing include species conservation efforts such as GAP analysis Scott et al. 1993, land cover and land use change monitoring (Skole and Tucker 1993; DeFries and Townshend 1994), and estimation of ecosystem carbon assimilation rates and net primary production (Prince 1991). At biome to global scales, it has also been demonstrated that the utility of remote sensing for monitoring ecosystem dynamics at time scales is commensurate with global change processes (Braswell et al. 1997; Myneni et al. 1997). Developments in remote sensing technologies, including airborne radar, video imaging systems, and satellite instruments with high spatial and spectral resolution show substantial promise for ecological studies. Further, even though this chapter focuses on optical remote sensing, new technologies (e.g., radar, laser altimeter, and lidar systems, which provide detailed information regarding topography and vegetation structure in three dimensions) suggest that the use of remote sensing by ecologists is likely to increase in the future.

31 citations


Cited by
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature (MEGAN) is used to quantify net terrestrial biosphere emission of isoprene into the atmosphere as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: . Reactive gases and aerosols are produced by terrestrial ecosystems, processed within plant canopies, and can then be emitted into the above-canopy atmosphere. Estimates of the above-canopy fluxes are needed for quantitative earth system studies and assessments of past, present and future air quality and climate. The Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature (MEGAN) is described and used to quantify net terrestrial biosphere emission of isoprene into the atmosphere. MEGAN is designed for both global and regional emission modeling and has global coverage with ~1 km2 spatial resolution. Field and laboratory investigations of the processes controlling isoprene emission are described and data available for model development and evaluation are summarized. The factors controlling isoprene emissions include biological, physical and chemical driving variables. MEGAN driving variables are derived from models and satellite and ground observations. Tropical broadleaf trees contribute almost half of the estimated global annual isoprene emission due to their relatively high emission factors and because they are often exposed to conditions that are conducive for isoprene emission. The remaining flux is primarily from shrubs which have a widespread distribution. The annual global isoprene emission estimated with MEGAN ranges from about 500 to 750 Tg isoprene (440 to 660 Tg carbon) depending on the driving variables which include temperature, solar radiation, Leaf Area Index, and plant functional type. The global annual isoprene emission estimated using the standard driving variables is ~600 Tg isoprene. Differences in driving variables result in emission estimates that differ by more than a factor of three for specific times and locations. It is difficult to evaluate isoprene emission estimates using the concentration distributions simulated using chemistry and transport models, due to the substantial uncertainties in other model components, but at least some global models produce reasonable results when using isoprene emission distributions similar to MEGAN estimates. In addition, comparison with isoprene emissions estimated from satellite formaldehyde observations indicates reasonable agreement. The sensitivity of isoprene emissions to earth system changes (e.g., climate and land-use) demonstrates the potential for large future changes in emissions. Using temperature distributions simulated by global climate models for year 2100, MEGAN estimates that isoprene emissions increase by more than a factor of two. This is considerably greater than previous estimates and additional observations are needed to evaluate and improve the methods used to predict future isoprene emissions.

3,746 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is suggested that designing a suitable image‐processing procedure is a prerequisite for a successful classification of remotely sensed data into a thematic map and the selection of a suitable classification method is especially significant for improving classification accuracy.
Abstract: Image classification is a complex process that may be affected by many factors. This paper examines current practices, problems, and prospects of image classification. The emphasis is placed on the summarization of major advanced classification approaches and the techniques used for improving classification accuracy. In addition, some important issues affecting classification performance are discussed. This literature review suggests that designing a suitable image-processing procedure is a prerequisite for a successful classification of remotely sensed data into a thematic map. Effective use of multiple features of remotely sensed data and the selection of a suitable classification method are especially significant for improving classification accuracy. Non-parametric classifiers such as neural network, decision tree classifier, and knowledge-based classification have increasingly become important approaches for multisource data classification. Integration of remote sensing, geographical information systems (GIS), and expert system emerges as a new research frontier. More research, however, is needed to identify and reduce uncertainties in the image-processing chain to improve classification accuracy.

2,741 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The datasets and algorithms used to create the Collection 5 MODIS Global Land Cover Type product, which is substantially changed relative to Collection 4, are described, with a four-fold increase in spatial resolution and changes in the input data and classification algorithm.

2,713 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used a revised version of the Carnegie-Ames-Stanford-Approach (CASA) biogeochemical model and improved satellite-derived estimates of area burned, fire activity, and plant productivity to calculate fire emissions for the 1997-2009 period on a 0.5° spatial resolution with a monthly time step.
Abstract: . New burned area datasets and top-down constraints from atmospheric concentration measurements of pyrogenic gases have decreased the large uncertainty in fire emissions estimates. However, significant gaps remain in our understanding of the contribution of deforestation, savanna, forest, agricultural waste, and peat fires to total global fire emissions. Here we used a revised version of the Carnegie-Ames-Stanford-Approach (CASA) biogeochemical model and improved satellite-derived estimates of area burned, fire activity, and plant productivity to calculate fire emissions for the 1997–2009 period on a 0.5° spatial resolution with a monthly time step. For November 2000 onwards, estimates were based on burned area, active fire detections, and plant productivity from the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor. For the partitioning we focused on the MODIS era. We used maps of burned area derived from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Visible and Infrared Scanner (VIRS) and Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (ATSR) active fire data prior to MODIS (1997–2000) and estimates of plant productivity derived from Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) observations during the same period. Average global fire carbon emissions according to this version 3 of the Global Fire Emissions Database (GFED3) were 2.0 Pg C year−1 with significant interannual variability during 1997–2001 (2.8 Pg C year−1 in 1998 and 1.6 Pg C year−1 in 2001). Globally, emissions during 2002–2007 were relatively constant (around 2.1 Pg C year−1) before declining in 2008 (1.7 Pg C year−1) and 2009 (1.5 Pg C year−1) partly due to lower deforestation fire emissions in South America and tropical Asia. On a regional basis, emissions were highly variable during 2002–2007 (e.g., boreal Asia, South America, and Indonesia), but these regional differences canceled out at a global level. During the MODIS era (2001–2009), most carbon emissions were from fires in grasslands and savannas (44%) with smaller contributions from tropical deforestation and degradation fires (20%), woodland fires (mostly confined to the tropics, 16%), forest fires (mostly in the extratropics, 15%), agricultural waste burning (3%), and tropical peat fires (3%). The contribution from agricultural waste fires was likely a lower bound because our approach for measuring burned area could not detect all of these relatively small fires. Total carbon emissions were on average 13% lower than in our previous (GFED2) work. For reduced trace gases such as CO and CH4, deforestation, degradation, and peat fires were more important contributors because of higher emissions of reduced trace gases per unit carbon combusted compared to savanna fires. Carbon emissions from tropical deforestation, degradation, and peatland fires were on average 0.5 Pg C year−1. The carbon emissions from these fires may not be balanced by regrowth following fire. Our results provide the first global assessment of the contribution of different sources to total global fire emissions for the past decade, and supply the community with an improved 13-year fire emissions time series.

2,494 citations