Earth  ID: 2317

Global EVI from Spring to Winter

Traditional satellite-based mapping of vegetation vigor and amount is based on the way vegetation interacts with red and infrared light. Occasionally, however, those two signals are not enough. MODIS measures light reflected from Earth at a variety of wavelengths, and the Arizona researchers incorporate the additional information into their Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI). The EVI has increased sensitivity within very dense vegetation, and it has built-in corrections for several factors that can interfere with the satellite-based vegetation mapping, like smoke and background noise caused by light reflecting off soil.
The bi-weekly and monthly vegetation index maps have wide usability by biologists, natural resources managers, and climate modelers. They can track naturally occurring fluctuations in vegetation, such as seasonal changes, as well as those that result from land use change, such as deforestation. The EVI can also monitor changes in vegetation resulting from climate change, such as expansion of deserts or extension of growing seasons.

Visualization Credits

Joycelyn Thomson (NASA/GSFC): Lead Animator
Alfredo Huete (The University of Arizona): Scientist
Kamel Didan (The University of Arizona): Scientist
Rebecca E. Lindsey: Writer
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio

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https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/2317

Mission:
Terra

Data Used:
Terra/MODIS
Spring 2000 through Winter 2001
Note: While we identify the data sets used in these visualizations, we do not store any further details nor the data sets themselves on our site.

Keywords:
DLESE >> Agricultural science
DLESE >> Biology
SVS >> EVI
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Biosphere >> Vegetation
NASA Science >> Earth

GCMD keywords can be found on the Internet with the following citation: Olsen, L.M., G. Major, K. Shein, J. Scialdone, S. Ritz, T. Stevens, M. Morahan, A. Aleman, R. Vogel, S. Leicester, H. Weir, M. Meaux, S. Grebas, C.Solomon, M. Holland, T. Northcutt, R. A. Restrepo, R. Bilodeau, 2013. NASA/Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Earth Science Keywords. Version 8.0.0.0.0