Newswise — Catching the fall foliage at its peak in the United States just became a little easier, thanks to the work of senior scientist Xiaoyang Zhang in the Geospatial Sciences Center of Excellence at South Dakota State University.
He and research scientist Yunyue “Bob” Yu of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) developed a method to monitor and predict changes in leaf coloration using satellite imagery. Maps available at http://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/star/news2014_201410_FallFoliage.php show the current foliage status and predict what will happen in 10 days. The first images were posted Oct. 15.
Previously, fall foliage information was based on field observations, Zhang explained. “We are the first to use satellite imagery to observe the fall colors and make predictions.” The information is updated every three days using data from the Visible Infrared Imager Radiometric Suite (VIIRS) on the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite launched in October 2011.
This research is part of a larger effort to document how a changing climate affects the timing of the vegetation seasons across the world using environmental satellite data, according Zhang. The work, which began in July 2013, is supported by a three-year NOAA grant for nearly $348,000.
This research can help farmers time planting by predicting spring green-up and monitoring when drought may occur, Zhang explained. It can also help foresters detect forest changes, including disease outbreaks from forest pests. Zhang and his colleague plan to expand their online monitoring system and increase the spatial resolution and geographic coverage of the images. “We will extend this work globally with a pixel size of 500 meters,” Zhang said.
This visual image of the changing seasons may help the public gain a greater understanding of year-by-year foliage changes that might over time give them a wider view of climate change, Zhang pointed out.
About the Geospatial Sciences Center of Excellence (GSCE)The Geospatial Sciences Center of Excellence (GSCE) is a joint collaboration between South Dakota State University and the United States Geological Survey's National Center for Earth Resources Observation and Sciences (EROS). The purpose of the GSCE is to enable South Dakota State University faculty and students, and EROS scientists to carry out collaborative research, seek professional development, and implement educational programs in the applications of geographic information science.
About South Dakota State UniversityFounded in 1881, South Dakota State University is the state’s Morrill Act land-grant institution as well as its largest, most comprehensive school of higher education. SDSU confers degrees from eight different colleges representing more than 175 majors, minors and specializations. The institution also offers 29 master’s degree programs, 15 Ph.D. and two professional programs.
The work of the university is carried out on a residential campus in Brookings, at sites in Sioux Falls, Pierre and Rapid City, and through Cooperative Extension offices and Agricultural Experiment Station research sites across the state.
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