1st Edition

Arctic Ecological Research from Microwave Satellite Observations

By Gennady I. Belchansky Copyright 2004
    244 Pages 96 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    Active (imaging radar) and passive (radiometer) microwave systems are increasingly used for Arctic ecological research. Unfortunately, until now ecologists interested in remote sensing often lacked access to the full suite of physical and analytical techniques of microwave systems, data processing, and ecological applications because a suitable reference book did not exist.

    Arctic Ecological Research from Microwave Satellite Observations answers this demand by summarizing the main microwave satellite applications for Arctic ecological research. This book is invaluable to specialists with a background in microwave techniques, as well as to other ecologists interested in applications of microwave active and passive remote sensing for tundra, boreal forest, and Arctic sea-ice habitat and marine mammal studies.

    It presents a brief introduction to Arctic ecological problems, the role of satellite sensing for monitoring Arctic ecosystems, and related data processing applications. The volume then examines results of Arctic sea-ice habitat studies using OKEAN-01 satellite data, then provides a comparative analysis of multisensor satellite monitoring of habitat using OKEAN-01, SSM/I and AVHRR satellite instruments. It also describes the evaluation of relative information content of ALMAZ-1, ERS-1, JERS-1 SAR, and Landsat-TM data for identifying wet tundra habitats. The book concludes with results of sensitive boreal forest type detection to monitor potential impacts of climate change on boreal forest structure.

    INTRODUCTION TO ARCTIC ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH AND MICROWAVE REMOTE SENSING
    Arctic Ecological Problems and Remote Sensing
    Elements of Microwave Remote Sensing
    Elements of Imaging Radar Satellite Systems
    Elements of Passive Microwave Satellite Systems
    Elements of Microwave Data Inversion, Classification and Applications
    Conclusion

    RUSSIAN MICROWAVE SATELLITES: MAIN MISSIONS, CHARACTERISTICS AND APPLICATIONS
    A Brief Review of the Main National and International Microwave Satellite
    Systems
    Evolution of Russian Microwave Satellites
    KOSMOS-OKEAN Satellite Series
    ALMAZ Satellite Series
    Conclusion

    ARCTIC MARINE MAMMAL SEA ICE HABITAT STUDIES USING ACTIVE AND PASSIVE MICROWAVE SATELLITE DATA
    Introduction
    Study Area
    Data
    Structure of Data Processing System
    Estimating Sea Ice Habitat Parameters
    Estimating the Sea Ice Habitat's Integrated Information Content
    Scheduling of Satellite Image Acquiring
    Results
    Discussion

    INVESTIGATING VARIABILITY IN ARCTIC SEA ICE DISTRIBUTION USING OKEAN AND ALMAZ SAR SATELLITE DATA
    Introduction
    Study Area
    Data
    Methods
    Results
    Conclusion

    COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF OKEAN-01, SSM/I AND AVHRR SATELLITE DATA FOR MONITORING OF ARCTIC SEA ICE HABITAT
    Introduction
    Study Area
    Data Description
    Satellite Data Processing
    Results
    Conclusion

    BOREAL FOREST HABITAT STUDIES USING OKEAN-01 SATELLITE DATA
    Introduction
    Study Area
    Data
    Mapping Boreal Forest Vegetation
    Some Results
    Improvement of Boreal Forest Classification Using a Minimum Loss
    Function Criteria
    Conclusion

    COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF ALMAZ-1 SAR, ERS-1 SAR, JERS-1 SAR AND LANDSAT-TM SATELLITE DATA FOR TUNDRA HABITAT STUDIES
    Introduction
    Study Area
    Satellite Data
    Ground Data
    Satellite-Derived Map
    Results
    Conclusion

    DEPENDENCE BETWEEN SAR DATA FOCUSING PARAMETERS AND EFFICIENCY OF DISCRIMINATING TUNDRA HABITAT
    Introduction
    Basic Focusing Algorithm
    Focusing Algorithm for ALMAZ-1 SAR Data
    Focusing Algorithm for ERS-1, JERS-1, RADARSAT SAR Data
    Structure of Focusing Software
    Assessment of Dependence Between SAR Data Focusing Parameters
    and Tundra Habitat Classification
    Results
    Conclusion

    STUDYING REGIONAL ASPECTS OF POLAR BEAR (URSUS MARITIMUS) ECOLOGY IN THE RUSSIAN ARCTIC USING SATELLITE DATA
    Introduction
    Methodology
    Analysis of the Results
    Conclusion

    DETECTION OF SENSITIVE BOREAL FOREST TYPES TO MONITOR AND ASSESS POTENTIAL IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE
    Introduction
    Study Area
    Field Data
    Forest Community Classification
    Computer Programs and Databases
    Comparative Floristic and Microclimate Analysis to Identify
    Sensitive Forest Types
    Global Change and Boreal Forest Community Dynamics

    Biography

    Gennady I. Belchansky

    "…offers new light into the types of Russian data not normally available or known about to most western scientists.
    Polar Record, 2005