+ Visit NASA.gov + Advanced Search   + About the Server   + Animation List   + How to Use the Server   + RSS Feeds   + Podcasts   + Opportunities Previous Animation Next Animation Fraction of Photosynthetically Active Radiation for Africa September, 2000, through May, 2001 MODIS' observations also allow scientists to track two 'vital signs' of Earth's vegetation. At Boston University, a team of researchers is using MODIS data to create global estimates of the green leaf area of Earth's vegetation and how much sunlight the leaves are absorbing. Called LAI, for 'Leaf Area Index,' and FPAR, for 'Fraction of absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation,' both pieces of information are necessary for understanding how sunlight interacts with the Earth's vegetated surfaces-from the top layer, called the canopy, through the understory vegetation, and down to the ground.    This FPAR animation shows the cycle of wet and dry seasons in Africa from September 2000 through May 2001 and the corresponding variation in the green leaf area and how much sunlight the leaves are absorbing over the course of a year. Duration: 7.0 seconds Available formats:   320x240 (30 fps) MPEG-1   1 MB   320x240 (30 fps) MPEG-1   1 MB   320x240     JPEG         12 KB   320x240     JPEG         12 KB   720x480 (29.97 fps) DV             28 MB   320x240 (30 fps) X-FLV       566 KB How to play our movies    April and May, 2001 Available formats:   2880 x 1944     TIFF 4 MB   160 x 80           PNG       13 KB   320 x 216         JPEG     17 KB   80 x 40             PNG         4 KB    December, 2000 Available formats:   2880 x 1944     TIFF 4 MB   320 x 216         JPEG     17 KB    September, 2000 Available formats:   2880 x 1944     TIFF 5 MB   320 x 216         JPEG     17 KB    Video slate image reads "FPAR for Africa taken by Terra/MODIS September, 2000, through May, 2001". Available formats:   720 x 528         JPEG   132 KB   320 x 234         PNG     278 KB Animation Number: 2316 Completed: 2001-12-13 Animators: Joycelyn Thomson (NASA/GSFC) (Lead)   Lori Perkins (NASA/GSFC) Scientists: Ranga Myneni (Boston University)   Yuri Knjazihhin (Boston University) Writer: Rebecca E. Lindsey Platform/Sensor/Data Set: Terra/MODIS (09/2000, 12/2000, 05/2001) Video: SVS2001-0022 * Keywords: DLESE >> Agricultural science DLESE >> Biology SVS >> FPAR SVS >> Photosynthetic SVS >> Radiation GCMD >> Location >> Africa     Please give credit for this item to: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio *Please note: the SVS does not fulfill requests for copies of the tapes in our library. On some of our animation pages, there is a direct link to a video distribution service from which tapes, handled by the Public Affairs Office (PAO)/Goddard TV, including some of our animations may be ordered. General information on this service can be found here. Back to Top + Privacy Policy and Important Notices + Reproduction Guidelines NASA Official: Content Contact: Curator: