Jean-Philippe Gastellu-Etchegorry

Bio: Jean-Philippe Gastellu-Etchegorry is an academic researcher from University of Toulouse. The author has contributed to research in topics: Radiative transfer & Atmospheric radiative transfer codes. The author has an hindex of 38, co-authored 192 publications receiving 4860 citations. Previous affiliations of Jean-Philippe Gastellu-Etchegorry include Centre national de la recherche scientifique & Gadjah Mada University.

DART: a 3D model for simulating satellite images and studying surface radiation budget

Abstract: DART (Discrete Anisotropic Radiative Transfer) is a radiative transfer model that simulates remotely acquired images. It was originally developed to work in the short wavelengths (0.3–3 µm) within 3D natural scenes that are represented as matrices of rectangular cells containing trees, shrubs, grass, soil, etc. DART was recently modified to extend its domain of application and to improve its accuracy. This paper summarizes the major features of DART and presents the changes that were implemented for improving its accuracy. Presently, this model works with natural and urban landscapes, on the whole optical domain (thermal infrared included) and with a multispectral approach that uses optical data bases from 0.3 µm up to 15 µm. It simulates radiative transfer in the whole ‘atmosphere–Earth’ system and it accounts for the instrumental transfer function. Three major changes allowed us to improve DART accuracy by a factor of three: more accurate simulation of single and multiple scattering, use of a scheme tha...

Third Radiation Transfer Model Intercomparison (RAMI) exercise: Documenting progress in canopy reflectance models

Abstract: The Radiation Transfer Model Intercomparison (RAMI) initiative benchmarks canopy reflectance models under well-controlled experimental conditions. Launched for the first time in 1999, this triennial community exercise encourages the systematic evaluation of canopy reflectance models on a voluntary basis. The first phase of RAMI focused on documenting the spread among radiative transfer (RT) simulations over a small set of primarily 1-D canopies. The second phase expanded the scope to include structurally complex 3-D plant architectures with and without background topography. Here sometimes significant discrepancies were noted which effectively prevented the definition of a reliable ''surrogate truth,'' over heterogeneous vegetation canopies, against which other RT models could then be compared. The present paper documents the outcome of the third phase of RAMI, highlighting both the significant progress that has been made in terms of model agreement since RAMI-2 and the capability of/need for RT models to accurately reproduce local estimates of radiative quantities under conditions that are reminiscent of in situ measurements. Our assessment of the self-consistency and the relative and absolute performance of 3-D Monte Carlo models in RAMI-3 supports their usage in the generation of a ''surrogate truth'' for all RAMI test cases. This development then leads (1) to the presentation of the ''RAMI Online Model Checker'' (ROMC), an open-access web-based interface to evaluate RT models automatically, and (2) to a reassessment of the role, scope, and opportunities of the RAMI project in the future.

Quantifying Vegetation Biophysical Variables from Imaging Spectroscopy Data: A Review on Retrieval Methods

Abstract: An unprecedented spectroscopic data stream will soon become available with forthcoming Earth-observing satellite missions equipped with imaging spectroradiometers. This data stream will open up a vast array of opportunities to quantify a diversity of biochemical and structural vegetation properties. The processing requirements for such large data streams require reliable retrieval techniques enabling the spatiotemporally explicit quantification of biophysical variables. With the aim of preparing for this new era of Earth observation, this review summarizes the state-of-the-art retrieval methods that have been applied in experimental imaging spectroscopy studies inferring all kinds of vegetation biophysical variables. Identified retrieval methods are categorized into: (1) parametric regression, including vegetation indices, shape indices and spectral transformations; (2) nonparametric regression, including linear and nonlinear machine learning regression algorithms; (3) physically based, including inversion of radiative transfer models (RTMs) using numerical optimization and look-up table approaches; and (4) hybrid regression methods, which combine RTM simulations with machine learning regression methods. For each of these categories, an overview of widely applied methods with application to mapping vegetation properties is given. In view of processing imaging spectroscopy data, a critical aspect involves the challenge of dealing with spectral multicollinearity. The ability to provide robust estimates, retrieval uncertainties and acceptable retrieval processing speed are other important aspects in view of operational processing. Recommendations towards new-generation spectroscopy-based processing chains for operational production of biophysical variables are given.

Remote sensing, models, and methods for image processing

Abstract: The Nature of Remote Sensing: Introduction. Remote Sensing. Information Extraction from Remote-Sensing Images. Spectral Factors in Remote Sensing. Spectral Signatures. Remote-Sensing Systems. Optical Sensors. Temporal Characteristics. Image Display Systems. Data Systems. Summary. Exercises. References. Optical Radiation Models: Introduction. Visible to Short Wave Infrared Region. Solar Radiation. Radiation Components. Surface-Reflected. Unscattered Component. Surface-Reflected. Atmosphere-Scattered Component. Path-Scattered Component. Total At-Sensor. Solar Radiance. Image Examples in the Solar Region. Terrain Shading. Shadowing. Atmospheric Correction. Midwave to Thermal Infrared Region. Thermal Radiation. Radiation Components. Surface-Emitted Component. Surface-Reflected. Atmosphere-Emitted Component. Path-Emitted Component. Total At-Sensor. Emitted Radiance. Total Solar and Thermal Upwelling Radiance. Image Examples in the Thermal Region. Summary. Exercises. References. Sensor Models: Introduction. Overall Sensor Model. Resolution. The Instrument Response. Spatial Resolution. Spectral Resolution. Spectral Response. Spatial Response. Optical PSFopt. Image Motion PSFIM. Detector PSFdet. Electronics PSFel. Net PSFnet. Comparison of Sensor PSFs. PSF Summary for TM. Imaging System Simulation. Amplification. Sampling and Quantization. Simplified Sensor Model. Geometric Distortion. Orbit Models. Platform Attitude Models. Scanner Models. Earth Model. Line and Whiskbroom ScanGeometry. Pushbroom Scan Geometry. Topographic Distortion. Summary. Exercises. References. Data Models: Introduction. A Word on Notation. Univariate Image Statistics. Histogram. Normal Distribution. Cumulative Histogram. Statistical Parameters. Multivariate Image Statistics. Reduction to Univariate Statistics. Noise Models. Statistical Measures of Image Quality. Contrast. Modulation. Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR). Noise Equivalent Signal. Spatial Statistics. Visualization of Spatial Covariance. Covariance with Semivariogram. Separability and Anisotropy. Power Spectral Density. Co-occurrence Matrix. Fractal Geometry. Topographic and Sensor Effects. Topography and Spectral Statistics. Sensor Characteristics and Spectral Stastistics. Sensor Characteristics and Spectral Scattergrams. Summary. Exercises. References. Spectral Transforms: Introduction. Feature Space. Multispectral Ratios. Vegetation Indexes. Image Examples. Principal Components. Standardized Principal Components (SPC) Transform. Maximum Noise Fraction (MNF) Transform. Tasseled Cap Tranformation. Contrast Enhancement. Transformations Based on Global Statistics. Linear Transformations. Nonlinear Transformations. Normalization Stretch. Reference Stretch. Thresholding. Adaptive Transformation. Color Image Contrast Enhancement. Min-max Stretch. Normalization Stretch. Decorrelation Stretch. Color Spacer Transformations. Summary. Exercises. References. Spatial Transforms: Introduction. An Image Model for Spatial Filtering. Convolution Filters. Low Pass and High Pass Filters. High Boost Filters. Directional Filters. The Border Region. Characterization of Filtered Images. The Box Filter Algorithm. Cascaded Linear Filters. Statistical Filters. Gradient Filters. Fourier Synthesis. Discrete Fourier Transforms in 2-D. The Fourier Components. Filtering with the Fourier Transform. Transfer Functions. The Power Spectrum. Scale Space Transforms. Image Resolution Pyramids. Zero-Crossing Filters. Laplacian-of-Gaussian (LoG) Filters. Difference-of-Gaussians (DoG) Filters.Wavelet Transforms. Summary. Exercises. References. Correction and Calibration: Introduction. Noise Correction. Global Noise. Sigma Filter. Nagao-Matsuyama Filter. Local Noise. Periodic Noise. Distriping 359. Global,Linear Detector Matching. Nonlinear Detector Matching. Statistical Modification to Linear and Nonlinear Detector. Matching. Spatial Filtering Approaches. Radiometric Calibration. Sensor Calibration. Atmospheric Correction. Solar and Topographic Correction. Image Examples. Calibration and Normalization of Hyperspectral Imagery. AVIRIS Examples. Distortion Correction. Polynomial Distortion Models. Ground Control Points (GCPs). Coordinate Transformation. Map Projections. Resampling. Summary. Exercises References. Registration and Image Fusion: Introduction. What is Registration? Automated GCP Location. Area Correlation. Other Spatial Features. Orthrectification. Low-Resolution DEM. High-Resolution DEM. Hierarchical Warp Stereo. Multi-Image Fusion. Spatial Domain Fusion. High Frequency Modulation. Spectral Domain Fusion. Fusion Image Examples. Summary. Exercises. References. Thematic Classification: Introduction. The Importance of Image Scale. The Notion of Similarity. Hard Versus Soft Classification. Training the Classifier. Supervised Training. Unsupervised Training. K-Means Clustering Algorithm. Clustering Examples. Hybrid Supervised/Unsupervised Training. Non-Parametric Classification Algorithms. Level-Slice. Nearest-Mean. Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs). Back-Propagation Algorithm. Nonparametric Classification Examples. Parametric Classification Algorithms. Estimation of Model-Parameters. Discriminant Functions. The Normal Distribution Model. Relation to the Nearest-Mean Classifier. Supervised Classification Examples and Comparison to Nonparametric Classifiers. Segmentation. Region Growing. Region Labeling. Sub-Pixel Classification. The Linear Mixing Model. Unmixing Model. Hyperspectral Image Analysis. Visualization of the Image Cube. Feature Extraction. Image Residuals. Pre-Classification Processing and Feature Extraction. Classification Algorithms. Exercises. Error Analysis. Multitemporal Images. Summary. References. Index.

Multisensor image fusion in remote sensing: Concepts, methods and applications

Abstract: With the availability of multisensor, multitemporal, multiresolution and multifrequency image data from operational Earth observation satellites the fusion of digital image data has become a valuable tool in remote sensing image evaluation. Digital image fusion is a relatively new research field at the leading edge of available technology. It forms a rapidly developing area of research in remote sensing. This review paper describes and explains mainly pixel based image fusion of Earth observation satellite data as a contribution to multisensor integration oriented data processing.

Image Processing

Abstract: MUCKE aims to mine a large volume of images, to structure them conceptually and to use this conceptual structuring in order to improve large-scale image retrieval. The last decade witnessed important progress concerning low-level image representations. However, there are a number problems which need to be solved in order to unleash the full potential of image mining in applications. The central problem with low-level representations is the mismatch between them and the human interpretation of image content. This problem can be instantiated, for instance, by the incapability of existing descriptors to capture spatial relationships between the concepts represented or by their incapability to convey an explanation of why two images are similar in a content-based image retrieval framework. We start by assessing existing local descriptors for image classification and by proposing to use co-occurrence matrices to better capture spatial relationships in images. The main focus in MUCKE is on cleaning large scale Web image corpora and on proposing image representations which are closer to the human interpretation of images. Consequently, we introduce methods which tackle these two problems and compare results to state of the art methods. Note: some aspects of this deliverable are withheld at this time as they are pending review. Please contact the authors for a preview.