Managing Drought and Water Scarcity in Vulnerable Environments: Creating a Roadmap for Change in the United States (18–20 September 2006)

Paper No. 4
Presentation Time: 5:00 PM-7:00 PM

MONITORING SURFACE MOISTURE IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES WITH MODIS LST


MARZEN, L.J., Geology & Geography, Auburn University, 108 Tichenor Hall, Auburn, AL 36849, WERSINGER, J.M., Physics Department, Auburn University, Allison Hall, Auburn, AL 36849, RODEKOHR, D., Agronomy & Soils, Auburn University, Funchess Hall, Auburn, AL 36849 and SIVASWAMY, S., Engineering, Auburn University, 116 Tichenor Hall, Auburn, AL 36849, marzelj@auburn.edu

NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) was designed as an improvement to the land surface remote sensing capabilities of NOAA's Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) which was originally designed to monitor surface characteristics for oceanic applications. Image processing time with MODIS data are more rapid and may aid drought mitigation by enabling access to data on a more timely basis. Past RS surface moisture research has utilized NDVI imagery produced with both AVHRR and MODIS as a potential indicator of surface moisture status and associated drought conditions. This research evaluates the MODIS LST product as a potential indicator of surface moisture through a comparison with the Crop Moisture Index. Results from this study suggest that LST may be a more reliable indicator of surface moisture conditions than NDVI at a regional scale in the southeastern United States.