Testing the potential of multi-spectral remote sensing for retrospectively estimating fire severity in African savannahs

Alistair M.S. Smith; Martin J. Wooster; Nick A. Drake; Frederick M. Dipotso; Michael J. Falkowski; Andrew T. Hudak

doi:10.1016/j.rse.2005.04.014

Treesearch

Testing the potential of multi-spectral remote sensing for retrospectively estimating fire severity in African savannahs

Formally Refereed

Authors:

Alistair M.S. Smith, Martin J. Wooster, Nick A. Drake, Frederick M. Dipotso, Michael J. Falkowski, Andrew T. Hudak

Year:

2005

Type:

Scientific Journal

Station:

Rocky Mountain Research Station

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2005.04.014

Source:

Remote Sensing of Environment. 97(1): 92-115.

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Abstract

The remote sensing of fire severity is a noted goal in studies of forest and grassland wildfires. Experiments were conducted to discover and evaluate potential relationships between the characteristics of African savannah fires and post-fire surface spectral reflectance in the visible to shortwave infrared spectral region. Nine instrumented experimental fires were conducted in semi-arid woodland savannah of Chobe National Park (Botswana), where fire temperature (T_max) and duration (dt) were recorded using thermocouples positioned at different heights and locations. These variables, along with measures of fireline intensity (FLI), integrated temperature with time (T_sum) and biomass (and carbon/nitrogen) volatilised were compared to post-fire surface spectral reflectance. Statistically significant relationships were observed between (i) the fireline intensity and total nitrogen volatilised (r²=0.54, n =36, p

Keywords

fire severity, savannah, surface reflectance, char, nitrogen, carbon, burn severity index, linear and non-linear spectral unmixing, elemental emission factor

Citation

Smith, Alistair M.S.; Wooster, Martin J.; Drake, Nick A.; Dipotso, Frederick M.; Falkowski, Michael J.; Hudak, Andrew T. 2005. Testing the potential of multi-spectral remote sensing for retrospectively estimating fire severity in African savannahs. Remote Sensing of Environment. 97(1): 92-115.