The use of sun elevation angle for stereogrammetric boreal forest height in open canopies

Montesano, P.; Neigh, C. S. R.; Sun, Guoqing; Duncanson, Laura; Hoek, Jamon Van Den; Ranson, K.J.

doi:10.1016/j.rse.2017.04.024

Cited by 33 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 73 publications

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“…Neigh et al (2014) characterized the canopy height of forest stands, using stereo images, at three different locations, including the Harvard Forest in Central Massachusetts, Jamison in Central South Carolina and Hoquiam on the central west coast of Washington State [12]. Montesano et al (2017) mapped the stereogrammetric height of the boreal forest using high resolution spaceborne imagery, acquired by Digital Globe's Worldview-1, and Worldview-2 satellites [13]. Ni et al (2014) analyzed the features of point clouds synthesized from multi-view ALOS/PRISM data [14].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The aforementioned studies have demonstrated that it was feasible to extract forest canopy heights from point clouds of the spaceborne stereoscopic imagery. However, the quality of the point cloud is largely determined by the observation geometry [13] and image resolutions, and could also be affected by cloud cover, topographic shadowing, and other factors affecting the light environment (diffuse versus direct lighting) [15]. The spaceborne photogrammetric missions work on different observation geometry and image resolutions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Modeling the Stereoscopic Features of Mountainous Forest Landscapes for the Extraction of Forest Heights from Stereo Imagery

Zhang

Sun

et al. 2019

Remote Sensing

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Spaceborne stereoscopic systems have been growing in recent years, and the point cloud extracted from spaceborne stereo imagery has been used to measure forest spatial structures. These systems work on different viewing angles and image spatial resolutions, which are two critical factors determining the quality of the derived point cloud. In addition, the complex terrain is also a great challenge for the regional mapping of forest spatial structures using spaceborne stereo imagery. Although several theoretical models for simulating multi-view spectral features of forest canopies have been developed, there is hardly any report of a stereoscopic analysis using these models due to the limited size of the simulated forest scenes and the lack of a geometric sensory model (i.e., physical relationship between two-dimensional image coordinates and three-dimensional georeferenced coordinates). The stereoscopic features (i.e., parallax) are, as important as the spectral features contained in the multi-view images of a targeted area, the basis for the extraction of a point cloud. In this study, a new model, referred to as LandStereo model, has been proposed, which is capable of simulating the stereoscopic features of forest canopies over mountainous areas at landscape scales. The model comprised five parts, including defining the mountainous forest landscapes, setting the sun-senor observation geometry, simulating images, generating ground control points, and building geometric sensor models. The LandStereo model was validated over three different scenes, including flat forest landscapes, bare mountain landscapes, and mountainous forest landscapes. The results clearly demonstrated that the LandStereo model worked well on simulating stereoscopic features of both terrains and forest canopies at landscape scales. The extracted height of a forest canopy top from simulated stereo imagery was highly correlated to the truth (R2 = 0.96 and RMSE = 0.99 m) over the flat terrains and (R2 = 0.92 and RMSE = 1.15 m) over the mountainous areas. The LandStereo model provided a powerful tool to further our understanding of the relationships between forest spatial structures and point cloud extracted from stereo imagery acquired from different view angles and spatial resolutions under complex terrain conditions.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modeling the Stereoscopic Features of Mountainous Forest Landscapes for the Extraction of Forest Heights from Stereo Imagery

Zhang

Sun

et al. 2019

Remote Sensing

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“…Montesano et al [12] combined stereo WorldView-1 images (0.46 m ground sampling distance) and ICESat-GLAS waveforms [22] to estimate the height of trees in northern Siberia with a RMSE varying from 0.85 to 1.37 m. In this case, the Worldview-1 imagery was used only to assess the ground-level elevations, not the top of the trees. Later for the same region, Montesano et al [6] used WorldView-1 and -2 stereo-images to reconstruct both the ground and vegetation elevations using the image matching algorithm of the AMES stereo pipeline of NASA [23]. By comparing results obtained from imagery acquired with sun elevations varying from 7° to 43°, they found that the highest accuracy for the DTM reconstruction was achieved in high sun Since 1999, with the launch of the IKONOS sensor [17], earth observation from space can supply images having a ground sampling distance of 1 m or less.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…Some authors [2,3] distinguished three zones from south to north (approximately 50 • to 70 • north) which they called respectively closed-canopy boreal forests, open canopy woodlands and forest-tundra. Others have more recently defined LW as an ecotone stretching between closed canopy boreal forests and tundra [4][5][6], i.e., a boreal-arctic transition. We will here adopt the latter definition and consider the LW as having a geographical distribution in Canada and Alaska as presented in the map proposed in Reference [4] (Figure 1).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating the Height and Basal Area at Individual Tree and Plot Levels in Canadian Subarctic Lichen Woodlands Using Stereo WorldView-3 Images

St-Onge

Grandin

2019

Remote Sensing

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Lichen woodlands (LW) are sparse forests that cover extensive areas in remote subarctic regions where warming due to climate change is fastest. They are difficult to study in situ or with airborne remote sensing due to their remoteness. We have tested a method for measuring individual tree heights and predicting basal area at tree and plot levels using WorldView-3 stereo images. Manual stereo measurements of tree heights were performed on short trees (2–12 m) of a LW region of Canada with a residual standard error of ≈0.9 m compared to accurate field or UAV height data. The number of detected trees significantly underestimated field counts, especially in peatlands in which the visual contrast between trees and ground cover was low. The heights measured from the WorldView-3 images were used to predict the basal area at individual tree level and summed up at plot level. In the best conditions (high contrast between trees and ground cover), the relationship to field basal area had a R2 of 0.79. Accurate estimates of above ground biomass should therefore also be possible. This method could be used to calibrate an extensive remote sensing approach without in-situ measurements, e.g., by linking precise structural data to ICESAT-2 footprints.

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“…These passive optical data have similar spectral wavelengths to Landsat (visible and near infrared channels), but they have important fundamental differences due to image acquisition characteristics. The differences can be seen as limitations, as sun‐sensor geometry, pixel resolution, and irregular image extent, but these observations can also provide new features to exploit (Montesano et al, ). Methods that capitalize on the new features of these data will provide a means for resolving detailed patterns of vertical and horizontal vegetation structure across remote portions of the boreal forest (Montesano et al, ).…”

Section: Observing Properties Of the Abz Landmentioning

confidence: 99%

Space‐Based Observations for Understanding Changes in the Arctic‐Boreal Zone

Duncan

Ott

Abshire

et al. 2020

Reviews of Geophysics

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Observations taken over the last few decades indicate that dramatic changes are occurring in the Arctic‐Boreal Zone (ABZ), which are having significant impacts on ABZ inhabitants, infrastructure, flora and fauna, and economies. While suitable for detecting overall change, the current capability is inadequate for systematic monitoring and for improving process‐based and large‐scale understanding of the integrated components of the ABZ, which includes the cryosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. Such knowledge will lead to improvements in Earth system models, enabling more accurate prediction of future changes and development of informed adaptation and mitigation strategies. In this article, we review the strengths and limitations of current space‐based observational capabilities for several important ABZ components and make recommendations for improving upon these current capabilities. We recommend an interdisciplinary and stepwise approach to develop a comprehensive ABZ Observing Network (ABZ‐ON), beginning with an initial focus on observing networks designed to gain process‐based understanding for individual ABZ components and systems that can then serve as the building blocks for a comprehensive ABZ‐ON.

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The use of sun elevation angle for stereogrammetric boreal forest height in open canopies

Cited by 33 publications

References 73 publications

Modeling the Stereoscopic Features of Mountainous Forest Landscapes for the Extraction of Forest Heights from Stereo Imagery

Modeling the Stereoscopic Features of Mountainous Forest Landscapes for the Extraction of Forest Heights from Stereo Imagery

Estimating the Height and Basal Area at Individual Tree and Plot Levels in Canadian Subarctic Lichen Woodlands Using Stereo WorldView-3 Images

Space‐Based Observations for Understanding Changes in the Arctic‐Boreal Zone

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