BOREAS RSS-02: Forest Reflectance Factors from ASAS Aircraft Imagery

BOREAS sites in the boreal forest provide the geographic scope for this dataset of atmospherically-corrected bidirectional reflectance factor means. The data were derived from multi-spectral, multi-angle imagery collected by the Advanced Solidstate Array Spectroradiometer (ASAS) aboard a C-130 aircraft during 1994 and 1996 campaigns. It represents surface radiative properties for small, homogeneous forested areas.

Use Cases

• Modeling surface bidirectional reflectance distribution functions (BRDF) based on multi-angle imagery.
• Calibrating or validating satellite-derived reflectance products using airborne sensor data.
• Analyzing seasonal or interannual changes in boreal forest reflectance from 1994 and 1996 campaigns.
• Studying the radiative properties of homogeneous forest stands as part of the BOREAS experiment.

Strengths

• Data is atmospherically corrected, a key preprocessing step for surface property analysis.
• Derived from multi-spectral and multi-angle imagery, allowing for detailed reflectance characterization.
• Collected during two dedicated field campaigns (1994 and 1996) as part of the BOREAS project.

Limitations

• Column names and detailed data structure are unknown, limiting immediate usability.
• Conflicting 'last updated' metadata (1996 vs. 2026) creates uncertainty about data currency.
• Dataset size and row counts are unspecified across all sources.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Derived from imagery acquired by the Advanced Solidstate Array Spectroradiometer (ASAS) aboard a C-130 aircraft platform.

Time Range

1994 to 1996

Freshness

1996-07-20 23:59:59.999000

Geography

Several BOREAS (Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study) sites, likely in the boreal forest region.