The project showed potential of MODIS and VIIRS time series data for contributing defoliation detection products to the USFS forest threat early warning system. This study yielded the first satellite-based wall-to-wall 2001 gypsy moth defoliation map for the study area. Initial results led to follow-on work to map 2007 gypsy moth defoliation over the eastern United States (in progress). MODIS-based defoliation maps offer promise for aiding aerial sketch maps either in planning surveys and/or adjusting acreage estimates of annual defoliation. More work still needs to be done to assess potential of technology for "now casts"of defoliation

Gasser, Jerry

Hargrove, William

May, George

McKellip, Rodney

Prados, Don

Sader, Steven A.

Smoot, James C.

Spruce, Joseph P.

NASA Technical Reports Server

Stennis Space Center
Assessing MODIS-based products and 
techniques for detecting gypsy moth 
defoliation 
Presented by Joseph P. Spruce
Science Systems and Applications, Inc. (SSAI)
John C. Stennis Space Center
Co-Authors:
William Hargrove, Robert E. Ryan, James Smoot, Don Prados, Rodney McKellip, 
Steven A. Sader, Jerry Gasser, George May 
2008 US-IALE Meeting
Madison, Wisconsin – April 9, 2008
 
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https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20080016551 2019-08-30T04:22:23+00:00Z
2Assessing MODIS-based products and techniques for detecting gypsy moth defoliationNational Aeronautics and Space Administration
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Project Background
• The project addresses: What is the potential of MODIS data 
for monitoring historic gypsy moth defoliation?
• This project regards a NASA/USDA Forest Service (USFS) 
partnership
– NASA is helping USFS to implement satellite data products 
into its emerging Forest Threat Early Warning System
– The latter system is being developed by the USFS Eastern 
and Western Forest Threat Assessment Centers
– The USFS Forest Threat Centers want to use MODIS time 
series data for regional monitoring of forest damage (e.g., 
defoliation), preferably in near real time
 
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3Assessing MODIS-based products and techniques for detecting gypsy moth defoliationNational Aeronautics and Space Administration
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W-VA
VA
PA
MD
Initial Study Area –
Mid-Appalachian Highlands
Study Area Outlined in Yellow Below (Total ~15.5 Million Acres)
Gypsy Moth Defoliation Occurred on Multiple Years During MODIS Era
Note: This Area Encompasses Several Landsat Scenes
Study Area
199 x 310 km
 
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4Assessing MODIS-based products and techniques for detecting gypsy moth defoliationNational Aeronautics and Space Administration
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Project Objectives
1. Assess 250-meter MODIS time series data for mapping 
historic gypsy moth defoliation
– Assess accuracy of detection products compared to reference data
• Initial focus on 2001 due to known extensive defoliation and available 
reference data
– 2001 Landsat and ASTER imagery
– 2001 USFS defoliation sketch maps
2. Assess simulated VIIRS time series data for mapping 
historic gypsy moth defoliation
– VIIRS will be the follow-on to MODIS
– VIIRS will have 400-meter resolution
– VIIRS data is being simulated mainly from MODIS imagery
 
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5Assessing MODIS-based products and techniques for detecting gypsy moth defoliationNational Aeronautics and Space Administration
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Reducing Noise in the
MODIS and VIIRS Time Series Data
• Data from each MODIS-based product was independently 
preprocessed to reduce inclusion of clouds and other low-
quality data
– MODIS MOD02 (planetary reflectance data) and MOD13 
(atmospherically corrected NDVI)
• The Time Series Product Tool (TSPT) software was used 
to derive “cleaned” MODIS and VIIRS time series data
– TSPT outputs vegetation index products (e.g., NDVI)
 
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6Assessing MODIS-based products and techniques for detecting gypsy moth defoliationNational Aeronautics and Space Administration
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Computing Maximum NDVI Composites
for the Defoliation Time Frame
• Computed a maximum NDVI composite for the gypsy moth 
defoliation period of each year (June 10–July 27) 
– Time series includes defoliated and non-defoliated years
• Stacked maximum NDVI during defoliation image for 2001 
with maximum NDVI image during the defoliation period 
over the whole 2000–2006 time series
• Used data stack to compute defoliation detection products
MODIS Maximum NDVI
Defoliation Time Frame (DTF) 
for 2000–2006 (Red)
Maximum NDVI DTF
2001 (Green)
Defoliation RGB - Based
on Maximum NDVI DTF 
for All Years vs. 2001
Maximum NDVI DTF
2001 (Blue)
 
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7Assessing MODIS-based products and techniques for detecting gypsy moth defoliationNational Aeronautics and Space Administration
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MODIS 2-Date NDVI RGB (MOD02)
Defoliation Defoliation
Landsat 7 2-Date NDVI RGB
Views of Gypsy Moth Defoliation on 
MODIS versus Landsat NDVI Data
• Both RGB images show defoliation from 2001 outbreak in red tones
• MODIS RGB is cloud free due to temporal processing of daily data
MODIS – Maximum NDVI DTF All Years in Red; Same for 2001 in Blue and Green
DTF – Defoliation Time Frame (June 10–July 27)
Landsat – 6/10/2000 NDVI Loaded in Red; 7/15/2001 NDVI Loaded into Blue and Green
 
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8Assessing MODIS-based products and techniques for detecting gypsy moth defoliationNational Aeronautics and Space Administration
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Method for MODIS Image Classification
of Gypsy Moth Defoliation
• Processed 2001 MODIS and VIIRS data into defoliation 
maps of 2 classes: defoliated versus other
– Employed unsupervised classification techniques
– Example results from MOD13 250 m, MOD02 250 m, and simulated 
VIIRS 400 m data
• Applied post-classification “filtering” technique to reduce 
commission errors from patches smaller than 1x1 km
Defoliation RGB - Based
on Maximum NDVI DTF for 
All Years vs. 2001
20-Class Unsupervised 
Classification
Defoliated Forest in Red
Final Result
Overlain onto
NLCD Forest Mask
Application of 1x1 km
Clump Aggregation 
Filter
 
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2001 Defoliation Classifications from MOD13, 
MOD02, and Simulated VIIRS NDVI Products
MOD13 (16-day) 250 m MOD02 (Daily) 250 m Simulated VIIRS (Daily) 400 m
NON-FOREST – TAN
HEALTHY FOREST – GREEN
DEFOLIATED FOREST – RED
FOREST MASK – NLCD 2001
 
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10Assessing MODIS-based products and techniques for detecting gypsy moth defoliationNational Aeronautics and Space Administration
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Method for Accuracy Assessment
of Defoliation Detection Products
• Drew stratified random sample locations from best apparent 
classification (MOD02 250-meter result)
– Drew samples for defoliated forest versus other classes
• An image analyst interpreted each sample location Landsat 
or ASTER as being defoliated or other
• Interpretation results were then compared to each test 
classification
– Examples - MOD02, simulated VIIRS, and MOD13 products
• Final results were summarized for defoliated forest versus 
“other” class
 
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Relative Accuracy of Example 2001 
Defoliation Classification Products
Note: PA = % Producer’s Agreement (# correct/total), UA = % User’s Agreement (# correct/total), 
Kappa = Kappa Statistic, OA = % Overall Agreement (# correct/total), and OK = Overall Kappa. 
Defoliated Forest Other Overall
PA UA Kappa PA UA Kappa OA OK
MOD02 NDVI 250 m 
91% 
(52/57)
78% 
(52/67) 0.67
87% 
(101/116)
95% 
(101/106) 0.86
88% 
(153/173) 0.75
VIIRS NDVI 400 m  
(Simulated from 
MOD02)
86% 
(49/57)
78% 
(49/63) 0.67
88% 
(102/116)
93% 
(102/110) 0.78
87% 
(151/173) 0.72
MOD13 NDVI 250 m 
44% 
(25/57)
86% 
(25/29) 0.79
97% 
(112/116)
78% 
(112/144) 0.33
79% 
(137/173) 0.46
2001 Classification 
Product
 
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12Assessing MODIS-based products and techniques for detecting gypsy moth defoliationNational Aeronautics and Space Administration
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Conclusions for Example
2001 Defoliation Mapping Products
• MODIS and simulated VIIRS time series data produced  
effective regional defoliation maps for 2001
– Temporal processing techniques and pest phenology 
knowledge aided the application
• MOD02 daily products yielded the best results
– MOD02 250 m and simulated 400 m VIIRS NDVI products 
yielded similar measures of accuracy
– MOD13 NDVI defoliation maps showed the lower overall 
accuracy, in part from omission of defoliation areas
 
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Gypsy Moth Defoliation of 2007
Preliminary Results Using Available MOD13 NDVI Data
 
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14Assessing MODIS-based products and techniques for detecting gypsy moth defoliationNational Aeronautics and Space Administration
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View of Entire MOD13 Mosaic
Used in 2007 Case Study
Maximum NDVI 2007 DTF in Red; Maximum NDVI DTF All Years in Blue and Green
Backdrop: USFS 250 m Forest Mask
Next
Slide
 
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15Assessing MODIS-based products and techniques for detecting gypsy moth defoliationNational Aeronautics and Space Administration
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View of 2007 Gypsy Moth Defoliation
From MOD13 Data
Heavy Defoliation in Red
PA
VA
WVA
NJ
MD
DE
Total Land 
Area Shown
~ 44 Million 
Acres
Maximum NDVI 2007 DTF in Red; Maximum NDVI DTF All Years in Blue and Green
 
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16Assessing MODIS-based products and techniques for detecting gypsy moth defoliationNational Aeronautics and Space Administration
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View of 2007 Gypsy Moth
Defoliation Map from MOD13 Data
Defoliation in Red
Total Land Extent
Shown
~ 44 Million Acres
Defoliation Map in Foreground is Overlain onto USFS 250 m Forest/Non-Forest Map
Apparent
Omission
PA
VA
WVA
NJ
MD
DE
 
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17Assessing MODIS-based products and techniques for detecting gypsy moth defoliationNational Aeronautics and Space Administration
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View of 2007 Gypsy Moth Defoliation
From USFS Sketch Map
Heavy Defoliation in Red
Low Defoliation in Yellow
PA
VA
WVA
NJ
MD
DE
Sketch Map in Foreground is Overlain onto USFS 250 m Forest/Non-Forest Map
Next Step:
Refine and 
Validate 
MOD13
Classification
 
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18Assessing MODIS-based products and techniques for detecting gypsy moth defoliationNational Aeronautics and Space Administration
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Relevance of Project
• The project showed potential of MODIS and VIIRS time 
series data for contributing defoliation detection products to 
the USFS forest threat early warning system
• This study yielded the first satellite-based wall-to-wall 2001 
gypsy moth defoliation map for the study area
• Initial results led to follow-on work to map 2007 gypsy moth 
defoliation over the eastern United States (in progress)
• MODIS-based defoliation maps offer promise for aiding 
aerial sketch maps either in planning surveys and/or 
adjusting acreage estimates of annual defoliation
• More work still needs to be done to assess potential of 
technology for “now casts” of defoliation
 
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Participation in this work by Science Systems and Applications, Inc., and by Computer Sciences Corporation was supported by NASA at the John C. 
Stennis Space Center, Mississippi, under Task Order NNS04AB54T.
 
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Stennis Space Center
Extra Slides
 
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21Assessing MODIS-based products and techniques for detecting gypsy moth defoliationNational Aeronautics and Space Administration
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MODIS-Related Terminology
• MODIS – Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer 
– 2 MODIS instruments in space (Aqua and Terra satellites)
• Each sensor collects 1 image per location each day
– 250-meter resolution for NIR (near infrared) and red bands
• NDVI – Normalized Difference Vegetation Index
– NDVI = (NIR - red) / (NIR + red)
– Can be computed from multiple MODIS products
• MOD02 – Daily MODIS Radiance Data
• MOD13 – MODIS 16 Day Composite Vegetation Indices
• VIIRS – Visible/Infrared Imager/Radiometer Suite
– future follow-on to MODIS
 
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22Assessing MODIS-based products and techniques for detecting gypsy moth defoliationNational Aeronautics and Space Administration
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Gypsy Moth Defoliation Maps from MODIS 
and Simulated VIIRS Data
Red – Defoliation
Green – Forest from NLCD
Tan – Non Forest from NLCD
MODIS (MOD02) and VIIRS Products Produced Similar Results
Both Tended to Map Same Outbreak Areas
Defoliation
MOD02 Defoliation Map VIIRS (Simulated from MOD02)
Defoliation
 
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23Assessing MODIS-based products and techniques for detecting gypsy moth defoliationNational Aeronautics and Space Administration
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Aerial View 
of Gypsy Moth Defoliation
 
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Assessing MODIS-based Products and Techniques for Detecting Gypsy Moth Defoliation

Assessing MODIS-based Products and Techniques for Detecting Gypsy Moth Defoliation

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