Characterization of land degradation at the Ñacuñán Biosphere Reserve in Argentina with AVIRIS data

A. HUETE; X. GAO; H.H. KIM; T. MIURA; C. E. BORGHI; R. A. OJEDA

Bangkok

Workshop; 2002 AVIRIS Proceedings; 2002

The use of satellite observations to monitor land degradation processes has a promising future, particularly with the use of hyperspectral sensor systems that offer the potential of extracting soil and vegetation biogeophysical component information for a more complete land surface characterization. When these multiple optical parameters are combined with GIS, process models, and moderate resolution sensors for phenology determinations, then desertification can be more quantitatively evaluated and monitored and the different processes that contribute todesertification (erosion, salinization, denuding of soil, overgrazing, water resources) can be assessed. The Earth Orbiter 1 (EO-1), launched in November 2000 as part of NASA’s New Millennium program, includes a hyperspectral imager, Hyperion. The Hyperion hyperspectral imager is a pushbroom sensor providing 220, 10 nm bands covering the spectrum from 400 to 2500 nm. A space-based hyperspectral sensor with consistent and repeat observation capabilities will greatly improve land degradation monitoring and provide early warning detectioncapabilities.