Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)-Based Methods for Solar Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence (SIF) Retrieval with Non-Imaging Spectrometers: State of the Art

Chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) information offers a deep insight into the plant physiological status by reason of the close relationship it has with the photosynthetic activity. The unmanned aerial systems (UAS)-based assessment of solar induced ChlF (SIF) using non-imaging spectrometers and radiance-based retrieval methods, has the potential to provide spatio-temporal photosynthetic performance information at field scale. The objective of this manuscript is to report the main advances in the development of UAS-based methods for SIF retrieval with non-imaging spectrometers through the latest scientific contributions, some of which are being developed within the frame of the Training on Remote Sensing for Ecosystem Modelling (TRuStEE) program. Investigations from the Universities of Edinburgh (School of Geosciences) and Tasmania (School of Technology, Environments and Design) are first presented, both sharing the principle of the spectroradiometer optical path bifurcation throughout, the so called ‘Piccolo-Doppio’ and ‘AirSIF’ systems, respectively. Furthermore, JB Hyperspectral Devices’ ongoing investigations towards the closest possible characterization of the atmospheric interference suffered by orbital platforms are outlined. The latest approach focuses on the observation of one single ground point across a multiple-kilometer atmosphere vertical column using the high altitude UAS named as AirFloX, mounted on a specifically designed and manufactured fixed wing platform: ‘FloXPlane’. We present technical details and preliminary results obtained from each instrument, a summary of their main characteristics, and finally the remaining challenges and open research questions are addressed. On the basis of the presented findings, the consensus is that SIF can be retrieved from low altitude spectroscopy. However, the UAS-based methods for SIF retrieval still present uncertainties associated with the current sensor characteristics and the spatio-temporal mismatching between aerial and ground measurements, which complicate robust validations. Complementary studies regarding the standardization of calibration methods and the characterization of spectroradiometers and data processing workflows are also required. Moreover, other open research questions such as those related to the implementation of atmospheric correction, bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) correction, and accurate surface elevation models remain to be addressed

두 개의 기하학적 관찰 구성을 통합하는 자동화된 지상 기반 초 분광 시스템 개발

학위논문(석사) -- 서울대학교대학원 : 농업생명과학대학 협동과정 농림기상학, 2022. 8. 류영렬.Hyperspectral remote sensing is becoming a powerful tool for monitoring vegetation structure and functions. Especially, Sun-Induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) and canopy reflectance monitoring have been widely used to understand physiological and structural changes in plants, and field spectroscopy has become established as an important technique for providing high spectral-, temporal resolution in-situ data as well as providing a means of scaling-up measurements from small areas to large areas. Recently, several tower-based remote sensing systems have been developed. However, in-situ studies have only monitored either BRF or BHR and there is still a lack of understanding of the geometric and optical differences in remote sensing observations, particularly between hemispheric-conical and bi-hemispheric configurations. Here, we developed an automated ground-based field spectroscopy system measuring far-red SIF and canopy hyperspectral reflectance (400–900 nm) with hemispherical-conical as well as bi-hemispherical configuration. To measure both bi-hemispherical and hemispherical-conical reflectance, we adopted a rotating prism by using a servo motor to face three types of ports that measure incoming-, outgoing irradiance and outgoing radiance. A white diffuse glass and collimating lens were used to measure the irradiance, and a collimating lens was used to measure the radiance with a field of view of 20 degrees. Additionally, we developed data management protocol that includes radiometric-, and wavelength calibrations. Finally, we report how BRF and BHR data differ in this system and investigated SIF and vegetation index from both hemispherical-conical and bi-hemispherical observation configurations for their ability to track GPP in the growing seasons of a deciduous broad-leaved forests.초 분광 원격 감지는 식생 구조와 기능을 모니터링하는 강력한 도구가 되고 있다. 특히, 식물의 생리적, 구조적 변화를 이해하기 위해 태양광 유도 엽록소 형광 (SIF)과 캐노피 반사율 모니터링이 널리 이용되고 있다. 현장 분광법은 높은 스펙트럼, 시간 분해능 현장 데이터를 제공하고 작은 영역에서 큰 영역으로 측정을 확장하는 수단을 제공하기 위한 중요한 기술로 확립되었다. 그러나, 수많은 연구가 현장 분광 시스템을 개발했지만, 반구-원추형 및 양 반구 구성 간의 원격 감지 관찰의 기하학적 및 광학적 차이에 대한 이해가 부족할 뿐만 아니라 초 분광 데이터를 지속적으로 수집하는 것은 여전히 어렵다. 우리는 반구형-원추형 및 이중 반구형 구성으로 원적외선 태양광 유도 엽록소 형광 및 캐노피 초 분광 반사율(400–900nm)을 측정하는 자동화된 지상 기반 필드 분광 시스템을 개발했다. 양방향 반사율과 반구형 원추형 반사율을 모두 측정하기 위해 서보 모터를 사용하여 프리즘을 회전하여 세가지 타입의 포트를 측정한다. 각 포트는 들어오는 복사 조도, 나가는 복사 조도 및 나가는 복사를 측정하는 세 가지 유형의 포트다. 조사조도는 백색확산유리와 굴절 렌즈를 사용하였고, 굴절 렌즈를 이용하여 조도를 측정하였다. 또한, 우리는 방사 측정 및 파장 교정을 포함하는 데이터 관리 프로토콜을 개발했다. 마지막으로, 우리는 낙엽 활엽수림의 성장기에 이 시스템에서 측정된 BRF와 BHR 데이터가 어떻게 다른지 보고하였다.Chapter 1. Introduction １ 1.1. Study Background １ 1.2. Purpose of Research ４ Chapter 2. Developing and Testing of Hyperspectral System ５ 2.1 Development of Hyperspectral System and Data Collecting ５ 2.1.1 The Central Control Unit and Spectrometer ５ 2.1.2 RotaPrism ７ 2.1.3 Data Collection ９ 2.3 Data Managing and Processing １１ 2.3.1 Preprocessing of Spectra １１ 2.3.2 Radiometric Calibration １３ 2.3.3 Retrieval of SIF and Vegetation Indices １５ 2.4 Ancillary Measurements to Monitoring Ecosystem. １７ Chapter 3. Application of Hyperspectral System １９ 3.1 Study Site １９ 3.2 Diurnal and Variation of Spectral Reflectance and SIF ２０ 3.3 Seasonal Variation of Vegetation Index and SIF ２２ 3.4 Broader Implications ２４ Chapter 4. Summary and Conclusions ２６ Bibliography ２８석

Sun-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence I: Instrumental Considerations for Proximal Spectroradiometers

Growing interest in the proximal sensing of sun‐induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) has been boosted by space-based retrievals and up-coming missions such as the FLuorescence EXplorer (FLEX). The European COST Action ES1309 “Innovative optical tools for proximal sensing of ecophysiological processes” (OPTIMISE, ES1309; https://optimise.dcs.aber.ac.uk/) has produced three manuscripts addressing the main current challenges in this field. This article provides a framework to model the impact of different instrument noise and bias on the retrieval of SIF; and to assess uncertainty requirements for the calibration and characterization of state-of-the-art SIF-oriented spectroradiometers. We developed a sensor simulator capable of reproducing biases and noises usually found in field spectroradiometers. First the sensor simulator was calibrated and characterized using synthetic datasets of known uncertainties defined from laboratory measurements and literature. Secondly, we used the sensor simulator and the characterized sensor models to simulate the acquisition of atmospheric and vegetation radiances from a synthetic dataset. Each of the sensor models predicted biases with propagated uncertainties that modified the simulated measurements as a function of different factors. Finally, the impact of each sensor model on SIF retrieval was analyzed. Results show that SIF retrieval can be significantly affected in situations where reflectance factors are barely modified. SIF errors were found to correlate with drivers of instrumental-induced biases which are as also drivers of plant physiology. This jeopardizes not only the retrieval of SIF, but also the understanding of its relationship with vegetation function, the study of diel and seasonal cycles and the validation of remote sensing SIF products. Further work is needed to determine the optimal requirements in terms of sensor design, characterization and signal correction for SIF retrieval by proximal sensing. In addition, evaluation/validation methods to characterize and correct instrumental responses should be developed and used to test sensors performance in operational conditions

Diurnal and Seasonal Solar Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence and Photosynthesis in a Boreal Scots Pine Canopy

Solar induced chlorophyll fluorescence has been shown to be increasingly an useful proxy for the estimation of gross primary productivity (GPP), at a range of spatial scales. Here, we explore the seasonality in a continuous time series of canopy solar induced fluorescence (hereafter SiF) and its relation to canopy gross primary production (GPP), canopy light use efficiency (LUE), and direct estimates of leaf level photochemical efficiency in an evergreen canopy. SiF was calculated using infilling in two bands from the incoming and reflected radiance using a pair of Ocean Optics USB2000+ spectrometers operated in a dual field of view mode, sampling at a 30 min time step using custom written automated software, from early spring through until autumn in 2011. The optical system was mounted on a tower of 18 m height adjacent to an eddy covariance system, to observe a boreal forest ecosystem dominated by Scots pine. (Pinus sylvestris) A Walz MONITORING-PAM, multi fluorimeter system, was simultaneously mounted within the canopy adjacent to the footprint sampled by the optical system. Following correction of the SiF data for O2 and structural effects, SiF, SiF yield, LUE, the photochemicsl reflectance index (PRI), and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) exhibited a seasonal pattern that followed GPP sampled by the eddy covariance system. Due to the complexities of solar azimuth and zenith angle (SZA) over the season on the SiF signal, correlations between SiF, SiF yield, GPP, and LUE were assessed on SZ

Sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence I:Instrumental considerations for proximal spectroradiometers

Growing interest in the proximal sensing of sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) has been boosted by space-based retrievals and up-coming missions such as the FLuorescence EXplorer (FLEX). The European COST Action ES1309 “Innovative optical tools for proximal sensing of ecophysiological processes„ (OPTIMISE, ES1309; https://optimise.dcs.aber.ac.uk/) has produced three manuscripts addressing the main current challenges in this field. This article provides a framework to model the impact of different instrument noise and bias on the retrieval of SIF; and to assess uncertainty requirements for the calibration and characterization of state-of-the-art SIF-oriented spectroradiometers. We developed a sensor simulator capable of reproducing biases and noises usually found in field spectroradiometers. First the sensor simulator was calibrated and characterized using synthetic datasets of known uncertainties defined from laboratory measurements and literature. Secondly, we used the sensor simulator and the characterized sensor models to simulate the acquisition of atmospheric and vegetation radiances from a synthetic dataset. Each of the sensor models predicted biases with propagated uncertainties that modified the simulated measurements as a function of different factors. Finally, the impact of each sensor model on SIF retrieval was analyzed. Results show that SIF retrieval can be significantly affected in situations where reflectance factors are barely modified. SIF errors were found to correlate with drivers of instrumental-induced biases which are as also drivers of plant physiology. This jeopardizes not only the retrieval of SIF, but also the understanding of its relationship with vegetation function, the study of diel and seasonal cycles and the validation of remote sensing SIF products. Further work is needed to determine the optimal requirements in terms of sensor design, characterization and signal correction for SIF retrieval by proximal sensing. In addition, evaluation/validation methods to characterize and correct instrumental responses should be developed and used to test sensors performance in operational conditions

Middle Atmosphere Program. Handbook for MAP. Volume 15: Balloon techniques

Some techniques employed by investigators using balloons to obtain data on the properties of the middle atmosphere are discussed. Much effort has gone into developing instruments which could be used on small balloons to measure temperature and variable species. These efforts are discussed. Remote sensing techniques used to obtain data on atmospheric composition are described. Measurement of stratospheric ions and stratospheric aerosols are also discussed

The Need for Accurate Pre-processing and Data Integration for the Application of Hyperspectral Imaging in Mineral Exploration

Die hyperspektrale Bildgebung stellt eine Schlüsseltechnologie in der nicht-invasiven Mineralanalyse dar, sei es im Labormaßstab oder als fernerkundliche Methode. Rasante Entwicklungen im Sensordesign und in der Computertechnik hinsichtlich Miniaturisierung, Bildauflösung und Datenqualität ermöglichen neue Einsatzgebiete in der Erkundung mineralischer Rohstoffe, wie die drohnen-gestützte Datenaufnahme oder digitale Aufschluss- und Bohrkernkartierung. Allgemeingültige Datenverarbeitungsroutinen fehlen jedoch meist und erschweren die Etablierung dieser vielversprechenden Ansätze. Besondere Herausforderungen bestehen hinsichtlich notwendiger radiometrischer und geometrischer Datenkorrekturen, der räumlichen Georeferenzierung sowie der Integration mit anderen Datenquellen. Die vorliegende Arbeit beschreibt innovative Arbeitsabläufe zur Lösung dieser Problemstellungen und demonstriert die Wichtigkeit der einzelnen Schritte. Sie zeigt das Potenzial entsprechend prozessierter spektraler Bilddaten für komplexe Aufgaben in Mineralexploration und Geowissenschaften.Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is one of the key technologies in current non-invasive material analysis. Recent developments in sensor design and computer technology allow the acquisition and processing of high spectral and spatial resolution datasets. In contrast to active spectroscopic approaches such as X-ray fluorescence or laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, passive hyperspectral reflectance measurements in the visible and infrared parts of the electromagnetic spectrum are considered rapid, non-destructive, and safe. Compared to true color or multi-spectral imagery, a much larger range and even small compositional changes of substances can be differentiated and analyzed. Applications of hyperspectral reflectance imaging can be found in a wide range of scientific and industrial fields, especially when physically inaccessible or sensitive samples and processes need to be analyzed. In geosciences, this method offers a possibility to obtain spatially continuous compositional information of samples, outcrops, or regions that might be otherwise inaccessible or too large, dangerous, or environmentally valuable for a traditional exploration at reasonable expenditure. Depending on the spectral range and resolution of the deployed sensor, HSI can provide information about the distribution of rock-forming and alteration minerals, specific chemical compounds and ions. Traditional operational applications comprise space-, airborne, and lab-scale measurements with a usually (near-)nadir viewing angle. The diversity of available sensors, in particular the ongoing miniaturization, enables their usage from a wide range of distances and viewing angles on a large variety of platforms. Many recent approaches focus on the application of hyperspectral sensors in an intermediate to close sensor-target distance (one to several hundred meters) between airborne and lab-scale, usually implying exceptional acquisition parameters. These comprise unusual viewing angles as for the imaging of vertical targets, specific geometric and radiometric distortions associated with the deployment of small moving platforms such as unmanned aerial systems (UAS), or extreme size and complexity of data created by large imaging campaigns. Accurate geometric and radiometric data corrections using established methods is often not possible. Another important challenge results from the overall variety of spatial scales, sensors, and viewing angles, which often impedes a combined interpretation of datasets, such as in a 2D geographic information system (GIS). Recent studies mostly referred to work with at least partly uncorrected data that is not able to set the results in a meaningful spatial context. These major unsolved challenges of hyperspectral imaging in mineral exploration initiated the motivation for this work. The core aim is the development of tools that bridge data acquisition and interpretation, by providing full image processing workflows from the acquisition of raw data in the field or lab, to fully corrected, validated and spatially registered at-target reflectance datasets, which are valuable for subsequent spectral analysis, image classification, or fusion in different operational environments at multiple scales. I focus on promising emerging HSI approaches, i.e.: (1) the use of lightweight UAS platforms, (2) mapping of inaccessible vertical outcrops, sometimes at up to several kilometers distance, (3) multi-sensor integration for versatile sample analysis in the near-field or lab-scale, and (4) the combination of reflectance HSI with other spectroscopic methods such as photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy for the characterization of valuable elements in low-grade ores. In each topic, the state of the art is analyzed, tailored workflows are developed to meet key challenges and the potential of the resulting dataset is showcased on prominent mineral exploration related examples. Combined in a Python toolbox, the developed workflows aim to be versatile in regard to utilized sensors and desired applications