Thomas L. Noland

Bio: Thomas L. Noland is an academic researcher from Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. The author has contributed to research in topics: Black spruce & Canopy. The author has an hindex of 31, co-authored 68 publications receiving 3462 citations. Previous affiliations of Thomas L. Noland include Ontario Forest Research Institute.

Scaling-up and model inversion methods with narrowband optical indices for chlorophyll content estimation in closed forest canopies with hyperspectral data

Abstract: Radiative transfer theory and modeling assumptions were applied at laboratory and field scales in order to study the link between leaf reflectance and transmittance and canopy hyper-spectral data for chlorophyll content estimation. This study was focused on 12 sites of Acer saccharum M. (sugar maple) in the Algoma Region, Canada, where field measurements, laboratory-simulation experiments, and hyper-spectral compact airborne spectrographic imager (CASI) imagery of 72 channels in the visible and near-infrared region and up to 1-m spatial resolution data were acquired in the 1997, 1998, and 1999 campaigns. A different set of 14 sites of the same species were used in 2000 for validation of methodologies. Infinite reflectance and canopy reflectance models were used to link leaf to canopy levels through radiative transfer simulation. The closed and dense (LAI>4) forest canopies of Acer saccharum M. used for this study, and the high spatial resolution reflectance data targeting crowns, allowed the use of optically thick simulation formulae and turbid-medium SAILH and MCRM canopy reflectance models for chlorophyll content estimation by scaling-up and by numerical model inversion approaches through coupling to the PROSPECT leaf radiative transfer model. Study of the merit function in the numerical inversion showed that red edge optical indices used in the minimizing function such as R/sub 750//R/sub 710/ perform better than when all single spectral reflectance channels from hyper-spectral airborne CASI data are used, and in addition, the effect of shadows and LAI variation are minimized.

Vegetation stress detection through chlorophyll a + b estimation and fluorescence effects on hyperspectral imagery.

Abstract: Physical principles applied to remote sensing data are key to successfully quantifying vegetation physiological condition from the study of the light interaction with the canopy under observation. We used the fluorescence-reflectance-transmittance (FRT) and PROSPECT leaf models to simulate reflectance as a function of leaf biochemical and fluorescence variables. A series of laboratory measurements of spectral reflectance at leaf and canopy levels and a modeling study were conducted, demonstrating that effects of chlorophyll fluorescence (CF) can be detected by remote sensing. The coupled FRT and PROSPECT model enabled CF and chlorophyll a + b (Ca + b) content to be estimated by inversion. Laboratory measurements of leaf reflectance (r) and transmittance (t) from leaves with constant Ca + b allowed the study of CF effects on specific fluorescence-sensitive indices calculated in the Photosystem I (PS-I) and Photosystem II (PS-II) optical region, such as the curvature index [CUR; (R675.R690)/R2(683)]. Dark-adapted and steady-state fluorescence measurements, such as the ratio of variable to maximal fluorescence (Fv/Fm), steady state maximal fluorescence (F'm), steady state fluorescence (Ft), and the effective quantum yield (delta F/F'm) are accurately estimated by inverting the FRT-PROSPECT model. A double peak in the derivative reflectance (DR) was related to increased CF and Ca + b concentration. These results were consistent with imagery collected with a compact airborne spectrographic imager (CASI) sensor from sites of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marshall) of high and low stress conditions, showing a double peak on canopy derivative reflectance in the red-edge spectral region. We developed a derivative chlorophyll index (DCI; calculated as D705/D722), a function of the combined effects of CF and Ca + b content, and used it to detect vegetation stress.

Applied Linear Regression Models

Abstract: (1991). Applied Linear Regression Models. Journal of Quality Technology: Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 76-77.