New publication

Observing the reactivation of deciduous forests during spring with microwave satellites

In a new paper published in Remote Sensing of Environment at 22. August 2020, we investigate if observations of the microwave satellite ASCAT (Advanced Scatterometer) are sensitive to the leaf development in decidous forests in spring. We compared the satellite observations with phenology observations at the ground, to changes in leaf area as observed with optical satellites and to the warming temperatures in spring. We found that the change in the signal from the microwave satellite occurs earlier than the increase in leaf cover. The results suggests that the microwave satellite observations are actually sensitive to the increase in tree water content that occurs right before leaf unfolding. The study opens a new way to study the physiological changes involved during plant phenology rathern than structural changes such as an increase in leaf area.

The work was led and conducted by Isabella Pfeil at TU Wien. Congratulations, Isabella for such an interesting and novel study!

Pfeil, I., Wagner, W., Forkel, M., Dorigo, W., Vreugdenhil, M. (2020).
Does ASCAT observe the spring reactivation in temperate deciduous broadleaf forests?
Remote Sensing of Environment 250, 112042. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2020.112042