Time-SeriesValidationofMODISLandBiophysicalProducts.docVIP

 PAGE 40  PAGE 39 Time-Series Validation of MODIS Land Biophysical Products in a Kalahari Woodland K.F. Huemmrich1,5, J.L. Privette2, M. Mukelabai3 , R.B. Myneni4, Y. Knyazikhin4 1 Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology University of Maryland Baltimore County 2 Code 923, Biospheric Sciences Branch NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland 3 Meteorological Office, Mongu, Zambia 4 Department of Geography Boston University, Massachusetts 5 Corresponding author: Code 923.4 NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD 20771 Phone: (301) 286-4862 Fax: (301) 286-0239 Email:  HYPERLINK mailto:karl.huemmrich@gsfc.nasa.gov karl.huemmrich@gsfc.nasa.gov Abstract Monthly measurements of leaf area index (LAI) and the fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (fapar) were collected along three 750m transects in a Kalahari woodland near Mongu in western Zambia. These data were compared with MODIS NDVI (MOD13, Collection 3) and MODIS LAI and fapar products (MOD15, Collection 3) over a two-year period (2000-2002). MODIS and ground-measured LAI values corresponded well, while there was a significant bias between MODIS and ground-measured fapar even though both MODIS variables are produced from the same algorithm. Solar zenith angle effects, differences between intercepted and absorbed photosynthetically active radiation, and differences in measurement of fapar (photon counts versus energy) were examined and rejected as explanations for the discrepancies between MODIS and ground-measured fapar. Canopy reflectance model simulations produced different values of fapar with the same LAI when canopy cover was varied, indicating errors in the estimation of canopy cover in the MODIS algorithm were a possible cause of the fapar discrepancy. This is one of the first studies of MODIS land product performance in a time-series context. Despite a bias in fapar, our results demonstrate that the products’ temporal dynamics closely track canopy ph