Spatial-temporal analysis of NOAA/AVHRR vegetation index and rainfall in the Northeast region of Brazil in 1982-85

Humberto A. Barbosa; Alberto W. Setzer

doi:10.1117/12.332749

11 December 1998 Spatial-temporal analysis of NOAA/AVHRR vegetation index and rainfall in the Northeast region of Brazil in 1982-85

Humberto A. Barbosa, Alberto W. Setzer

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 3499, Remote Sensing for Agriculture, Ecosystems, and Hydrology; (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.332749
Event: Remote Sensing, 1998, Barcelona, Spain

Abstract

This work analyzes the spatial and temporal variation of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and rainfall in the Northeast region of Brazil (NEB), between 1 degree to 18 degrees South and 35 degrees to 47 degrees West. Studied were the dry years of 1982 and 1983 and the rainy years of 1984 and 1985, covering the intense El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event of 1982 - 83. Ten test-areas representing prevailing and different phitophysiognomies of the region were used for temporal analysis. The spatial analysis was based on a grid of 5,571 rainfall data points spaced by 0,25 degrees latitude and longitude, interpolated from the original rain-gauge measurements. In relation to previous NEB studies, the subdivision of the vegetation in classes and the use of correlations with time lags were introduced. The results showed that: (1) NDVI and rainfall monthly data follow similar patterns on a temporal and spatial basis, being statistically correlated where the NDVI can depict the rainfall regime in periods of unusual droughts or rain in NEB; (2) the best correlation was found between the combined rainfall of two consecutive months with the NDVI of the latter these two months; (3) there was also an NDVI increase in the rainy season for the extremely dry year of 1983; (4) NDVI and rainfall better represented the vegetation hydric potential in the form of a ratio, or Rain Greenness Ration (RGR), rather than separately, and; (5) the largest NDVI variation occurred for the urban area class. The results indicate the potential use of satellite NDVI imagery to monitor drought occurrences as well as to study climatic variability on a regional scale.

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Humberto A. Barbosa and Alberto W. Setzer "Spatial-temporal analysis of NOAA/AVHRR vegetation index and rainfall in the Northeast region of Brazil in 1982-85", Proc. SPIE 3499, Remote Sensing for Agriculture, Ecosystems, and Hydrology, (11 December 1998); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.332749

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