Effects of Spatial and Spectral Resolutions on Fractal Dimensions in Forested Landscapes.docVIP

Remote Sensing 2010, 2, 611-640; doi:10.3390/rs2030611 OPEN ACCESS Remote Sensing ISSN 2072-4292 /journal/remotesensing Article Effects of Spatial and Spectral Resolutions on Fractal Dimensions in Forested Landscapes Mohammad Al-Hamdan 1,* , James Cruise 2 , Douglas Rickman 3 and Dale Quattrochi 3 1 Universities Space Research Association at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, National Space Science and Technology Center, NASA Global Hydrology and Climate Center, Huntsville, AL 35805, USA 2 Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35899, USA; E-Mail: cruise@ 3 Earth Science Office at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, National Space Science and Technology Center, NASA Global Hydrology and Climate Center, Huntsville, AL 35805, USA; E-Mails: douglas.l.rickman@ (D.R.); dale.quattrochi@ (D.Q.) * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: mohammad.alhamdan@; Tel.: +1-256-961-7465; Fax: +1-256-961-7377. Received: 28 December 2009; in revised form: 20 February 2010 / Accepted: 21 February 2010 / Published: 26 February 2010 Abstract: Recent work has shown that more research is needed in applying fractal analysis to multi-resolution remote sensing data for landscape characterization. The purpose of this study was to closely examine the impacts that spatial and spectral resolutions have on fractal dimensions using real-world multi-resolution remotely sensed data as opposed to the more conventional single resolution and aggregation approach. The study focused on fractal analysis of forested landscapes in the southeastern United States and Central America. Initially, the effects of spatial resolution on the computed fractal dimensions were examined using data from three instruments with different spatial resolutions. Based on the criteria of mean value and variation within the accepted ranges of fractal dimensions, it