Airborne Hyperspectral Radiance Data for North American Forests

G-LiHT's airborne imaging system provides high-resolution radiance data across 114 spectral bands from 418 to 920 nanometers. Data is collected at 1-meter spatial resolution from a nominal flying height of 335 meters above ground level over forest communities in the Conterminous United States, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. The data product is processed by NASA's LPCLOUD.

Use Cases

• Classify forest species and health using spectral signatures from 114 bands between 418-920 nm.
• Model ecosystem function by analyzing surface radiance approximations corrected for BRDF and cross-track illumination.
• Map vegetation structure at 1-meter resolution using the GeoTIFF raster data over defined flight swaths.
• Calibrate satellite-derived vegetation indices with at-sensor radiance data from airborne campaigns.

Strengths

• 114 spectral bands provide detailed reflectance information across the visible and near-infrared spectrum.
• Data is captured at a high 1-meter spatial resolution from a low flying altitude of 335 m AGL.

Limitations

• Spatial coverage is limited to specific airborne swaths over defined project areas, not continuous continental coverage.
• The specific number of flight lines, scenes, or total area covered is not provided in the description.

Provenance

Source

NASA Goddard's LiDAR, Hyperspectral, and Thermal Imager (G-LiHT) airborne mission.

Collection Method

Data gathered via a portable airborne imaging system, with radiance computed from observed upwelling radiance and downwelling irradiance, then corrected for illumination and BRDF effects.

Geography

Forest communities and ecoregions in North America, including the Conterminous United States (CONUS), Alaska, Puerto Rico, and Mexico.