Comparison of the detection of deforested areas using the ERS-1 ATSR and the NOAA-11 AVHRR with reference to ERS-1 SAR data: a case study in the Brazilian Amazon

Abstract

Two coarse spatial resolution classifications of nominally 1·1 km resolution of deforested areas over a test site covering part of the south-west Amazon basin are compared. One classification is derived from data acquired by NOAA's Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and the other from the ERS-I Along Track Scanning Radiometer (ATSR-I). A forest/non-forest classification derived from finer spatial resolution ERS-l Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data is used as a reference for the comparison. Specificpatterns of deforestation in the area are identified and their depiction on each of the coarse spatial resolution datasets is examined in relation to their depiction on the fine spatial resolution classification. The results show that significant differencesexist between the two coarse spatial resolution classifications and that special rigorous integration methodologies will have to be developed before the results from either source can be used interchangeably with those from the other.

A land cover change monitoring program: Strategy for an international effort

“…The approach would develop multi-level sampling using a combination of satellite data sets. The research and development for this focus would be to merge optical and microwave data and multi-resolution data sets (Conway et al, 1996).…”

Cover The advance of burnt areas in Central Africa as detected by ERS-1 ATSR-1

“…Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-andconditions Eva et al 1636 north-east of the Central African Republic, at a latitude of 6´5ß N and longitude of 24ß E. The ERS-1 was on a three day cycle enabling the rapid progression of burnt areas to be monitored on 15, 18, 21 and 24 January 1994 (insets A, B, C, and D respectively) which is during the peak burning season. The 1 km resolution ATSR-1 was designed for sea surface temperature measurement ( Prata et al 1990 ) but its utility for land applications ( by virtue of its high precision 12 bit thermal data and the inclusion of the short-wave infrared 1´6 mm channel ) has been demonstrated both for burnt-area and for tropical forestry monitoring ( Eva et al 1995, Conway et al 1996. ( The range of land applications of the ATSR-2 should be greater with the addition of visible and near infrared channels.)…”