Karol Przeździecki, Jarosław Zawadzki, Chris Cieszewski, Pete Bettinger. (2017). Estimation of soil moisture across broad landscapes of Georgia and South Carolina using the triangle method applied to MODIS satellite imagery. Silva Fennica vol. 51 no. 4 article id 1683. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.1683

Keywords: soil moisture; remotely sensed imagery; satellite observations of forests; triangle method; TVDI; MODIS

Highlights: Temperature vegetation dryness indices were calculated from MODIS satellite imagery to estimate subsurface soil moisture at different depths using the triangle method; Observations were carried out over the vast areas of Georgia and South Carolina, USA, covered with diverse land uses that, included dense forests and agricultural areas; The triangle method may be useful in forestry management applications where the productivity potential of a region and the hydrologic role of forests in that region are of concern.

Abstract | Full text in HTML | Full text in PDF | Author Info

We describe here a study based on analysis of vegetation indices and land surface temperatures, which provides relevant information for estimating soil moisture at regional scales. Through an analysis of MODIS satellite imagery and in situ moisture data, the triangle method was used to develop a conceptual land surface temperature−vegetation index model, and spatial temperature-vegetation dryness index (TVDI) values to describe soil moisture relationships for a broad landscape. This study was situated mainly within two states of the southern United States (Georgia and South Carolina). The total study area was about 30 million hectares. The analyses were conducted using information gathered from the 2009 growing season (from the end of March to September). The results of the study showed that soil moisture content was inversely proportional to TVDI, and that TVDI based on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) had a slightly higher correlation with soil moisture than TVDI based on the enhanced vegetation index (EVI).

Przeździecki, Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Building Services, Hydro and Environmental Engineering, 00-653, Nowowiejska 20, Warszawa, Poland http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2275-5223 E-mail: karol_przezdziecki@is.pw.edu.pl
Zawadzki, Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Building Services, Hydro and Environmental Engineering, 00-653, Nowowiejska 20, Warszawa, Poland http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2842-0018 E-mail: j.j.zawadzki@gmail.com
Cieszewski, University of Georgia, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, 180 E Green St, Athens, GA 30602, USA http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2842-4406 E-mail: thebiomat@gmail.com
Bettinger, University of Georgia, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, 180 E Green St, Athens, GA 30602, USA http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5454-3970 E-mail: pbettinger@warnell.uga.edu

Click this link to register to Silva Fennica.

If you are a registered user, log in to save your selected articles for later access.

Contents alert

Your selected articles
Send to email

Riihinen P., (1963) Economic models underlying forest policy program.. Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 75 no. 5 article id 7139 (remove) | Edit comment

Olsson P.-O., Kantola T. et al. (2016) Development of a method for monitoring of insect.. Silva Fennica vol. 50 no. 2 article id 1495 (remove) | Edit comment

Lehto R., (1970) Background of education and occupational instruc.. Silva Fennica vol. 4 no. 1 article id 4811 (remove) | Edit comment

Sirén G., (1958) Biological and technical properties of the local.. Silva Fennica vol. no. 96 article id 4676 (remove) | Edit comment

Franklin C. M. A., Harper K. A. et al. (2015) Structural dynamics at boreal forest edges creat.. Silva Fennica vol. 49 no. 3 article id 1267 (remove) | Edit comment

Saari E., (1931) Investigations into the costs of raw material in.. Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 37 no. 4 article id 7266 (remove) | Edit comment

León I., García J. J. et al. (2017) Differences in root growth of Quercus ilex Silva Fennica vol. 51 no. 4 article id 6991 (remove) | Edit comment

Multamäki S. E., (1939) Sowing and planting of Norway spruce in drained .. Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 47 no. 3 article id 7343 (remove) | Edit comment

Jansons Ā., Matisons R. et al. (2015) Effect of initial fertilization on 34-year incre.. Silva Fennica vol. 50 no. 1 article id 1346 (remove) | Edit comment

Skrzypczynska M., (1996) Relationship between Megastigmus suspectus Borr... Silva Fennica vol. 30 no. 1 article id 5577 (remove) | Edit comment

Schalin I., (1966) Studies on the microfungi in the forest floor of.. Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 81 no. 7 article id 7172 (remove) | Edit comment

Kantola M., (1976) Viewpoint on the status and future prospects of .. Silva Fennica vol. 10 no. 1 article id 4934 (remove) | Edit comment

Heikinheimo L., Ervasti S. et al. (1959) Development of forest economic research in Finland Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 70 no. 10 article id 7500 (remove) | Edit comment

Farhadi M., Tigabu M. et al. (2015) Near Infrared Spectroscopy as non-destructive me.. Silva Fennica vol. 49 no. 5 article id 1340 (remove) | Edit comment

Saranpää P., (1983) The influence of basic density and growth ring w.. Silva Fennica vol. 17 no. 4 article id 5199 (remove) | Edit comment

Stentzel E. E., (1957) Forest work science and technics in the German D.. Silva Fennica vol. no. 90 article id 4668 (remove) | Edit comment

Vesterinen E., (1942) Hiking in forests Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 50 no. 13 article id 7366 (remove) | Edit comment

Ahnlund Ulvcrona K., Karlsson L. et al. (2013) Comparison of silvicultural regimes of lodgepole.. Silva Fennica vol. 47 no. 3 article id 974 (remove) | Edit comment

Ilvessalo Y., (1937) Practical forest inventory methods Silva Fennica vol. no. 39 article id 4480 (remove) | Edit comment

Follow @SilvaFennica