Relation between land cover parameters and BRDF model coefficients: a case study using MODIS BRDF product over parts of Western India

Abstract

In this paper, the BRDF data product from Moderate Resolution Imaging ,Spectrometer (MODIS) on EOS is used along with IRS - ID WiFS and IRS ID LISS-III sensors to explore relations between land cover classes, LAI and the BRDF model coefficients. The IRS -ID WiFS data was aggregated to the spatial resolution of MODIS (- l krn) and the three BRDF model parameters corresponding to isotropic, volume and geometric components of surface reflectance for sand, water and crop classes are extracted and analyzed in this study. Using field measurements of LAI carried out at the Central State Farm, Suratgarh, Rajasthan along with LISS-lII image of the same area, an LAI image of the farm was generated and the LA! values were correlated with the three MODIS BRDF model parameters. Small but significant negative correlations (- 0.5) were found between LAI and angle independent isotropic term at both red and near infrared wavelengths and higher significant correlations were observed among the BRDF model coefficients.