scholarly journals Reply to Comment on “Comparison of Cloud Cover Detection Algorithms on Sentinel–2 Images of the Amazon Tropical Forest”

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 1028
Author(s):  
Alber Hamersson Sanchez ◽  
Michelle Cristina A. Picoli ◽  
Gilberto Camara ◽  
Pedro R. Andrade ◽  
Michel Eustaquio D. Chaves ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Forest ◽  
Cloud Cover ◽  
Optimal Performance ◽  
Detection Algorithms ◽  
Sentinel 2

In their comments about our paper, the authors remark on two issues regarding our results relating to the MACCS-ATCOR Joint Algorithm (MAJA). The first relates to the sub-optimal performance of this algorithm under the conditions of our tests, while the second corresponds to an error in our interpretation of MAJA’s bit mask. To answer the first issue, we acknowledge MAJA’s capacity to improve its performance as the number of images increases with time. However, in our paper, we used the images we had available at the time we wrote our paper. Regarding the second issue, we misread the MAJA’s bit mask and mistakenly labelled shadows as clouds. We regret our error and here we present the updated tables and images. We corrected our estimation and, consequently, there is an increment in MAJA’s accuracy in the detection of clouds and cloud shadows. However, these increments are not enough to change the conclusion of our original paper.

scholarly journals Monitoring Vegetation Change in the Presence of High Cloud Cover with Sentinel-2 in a Lowland Tropical Forest Region in Brazil

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1829
Author(s):  
Tatiana Nazarova ◽  
Pascal Martin ◽  
Gregory Giuliani
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Forest ◽  
Temporal Resolution ◽  
Cloud Cover ◽  
Detection System ◽  
Forest Degradation ◽  
High Cloud ◽  
Lowland Tropical Forest ◽  
Forest Region ◽  
Vegetation Loss ◽  
Sentinel 2

Forests play major roles in climate regulation, ecosystem services, carbon storage, biodiversity, terrain stabilization, and water retention, as well as in the economy of numerous countries. Nevertheless, deforestation and forest degradation are rampant in many parts of the world. In particular, the Amazonian rainforest faces the constant threats posed by logging, mining, and burning for agricultural expansion. In Brazil, the “Sete de Setembro Indigenous Land”, a protected area located in a lowland tropical forest region at the border between the Mato Grosso and Rondônia states, is subject to illegal deforestation and therefore necessitates effective vegetation monitoring tools. Optical satellite imagery, while extensively used for landcover assessment and monitoring, is vulnerable to high cloud cover percentages, as these can preclude analysis and strongly limit the temporal resolution. We propose a cloud computing-based coupled detection strategy using (i) cloud and cloud shadow/vegetation detection systems with Sentinel-2 data analyzed on the Google Earth Engine with deep neural network classification models, with (ii) a classification error correction and vegetation loss and gain analysis tool that dynamically compares and updates the classification in a time series. The initial results demonstrate that such a detection system can constitute a powerful monitoring tool to assist in the prevention, early warning, and assessment of deforestation and forest degradation in cloudy tropical regions. Owing to the integrated cloud detection system, the temporal resolution is significantly improved. The limitations of the model in its present state include classification issues during the forest fire period, and a lack of distinction between natural vegetation loss and anthropogenic deforestation. Two possible solutions to the latter problem are proposed, namely, the mapping of known agricultural and bare areas and its subsequent removal from the analyzed data, or the inclusion of radar data, which would allow a large amount of finetuning of the detection processes.

scholarly journals Comment on “Comparison of Cloud Cover Detection Algorithms on Sentinel-2 Images of the Amazon Tropical Forest”

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 1023 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivier Hagolle ◽  
Jerome Colin
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Cover ◽  
Detection Methods ◽  
Screening Methods ◽  
Cloud Detection ◽  
Detection Algorithms ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Optical Satellite Images ◽  
Cloud Screening ◽  
Amazonian Region ◽  
Sentinel 2

In their recent study, Sanchez et al. compared various cloud detection methods applied to Sentinel-2, specifically on images acquired over the Amazonian region, known for its frequent cloud cover. Comparison of cloud screening methods for optical satellite images is a complex task, which must take several parameters into account, such as the definition of a cloud, which can differ according to the methods, the different coding of the cloud and shadow masks, the possible dilation of masks, and also the way the method must be used to perform in nominal conditions. We found that the otherwise serious and useful comparison of cloud masks by Sanchez et al. is not fair to the real performances of MAJA cloud detection, for two reasons: (i) two thirds of the images used in the comparison were acquired before the launch of Sentinel-2B satellite, when the revisit of the Sentinel-2 mission was 20 days instead of five days for the nominal conditions of the mission, and (ii) there is an error in the understanding of how MAJA cloud masks are coded which also probably artificially degraded the results of MAJA as compared to the other methods.

scholarly journals Cloud Cover throughout All the Paddy Rice Fields in Guangdong, China: Impacts on Sentinel 2 MSI and Landsat 8 OLI Optical Observations

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 2961
Author(s):  
Rui Jiang ◽  
Arturo Sanchez-Azofeifa ◽  
Kati Laakso ◽  
Yan Xu ◽  
Zhiyan Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Cover ◽  
Southern China ◽  
Vegetation Indices ◽  
Paddy Rice ◽  
Rice Fields ◽  
Optical Observations ◽  
Landsat 8 ◽  
Monthly Basis ◽  
Satellite Sensors ◽  
Sentinel 2

Cloud cover hinders the effective use of vegetation indices from optical satellite-acquired imagery in cloudy agricultural production areas, such as Guangdong, a subtropical province in southern China which supports two-season rice production. The number of cloud-free observations for the earth-orbiting optical satellite sensors must be determined to verify how much their observations are affected by clouds. This study determines the quantified wide-ranging impact of clouds on optical satellite observations by mapping the annual total observations (ATOs), annual cloud-free observations (ACFOs), monthly cloud-free observations (MCFOs) maps, and acquisition probability (AP) of ACFOs for the Sentinel 2 (2017–2019) and Landsat 8 (2014–2019) for all the paddy rice fields in Guangdong province (APRFG), China. The ATOs of Landsat 8 showed relatively stable observations compared to the Sentinel 2, and the per-field ACFOs of Sentinel 2 and Landsat 8 were unevenly distributed. The MCFOs varied on a monthly basis, but in general, the MCFOs were greater between August and December than between January and July. Additionally, the AP of usable ACFOs with 52.1% (Landsat 8) and 47.7% (Sentinel 2) indicated that these two satellite sensors provided markedly restricted observation capability for rice in the study area. Our findings are particularly important and useful in the tropics and subtropics, and the analysis has described cloud cover frequency and pervasiveness throughout different portions of the rice growing season, providing insight into how rice monitoring activities by using Sentinel 2 and Landsat 8 imagery in Guangdong would be impacted by cloud cover.

scholarly journals Fusing Geostationary Satellite Observations with Harmonized Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 Time Series for Monitoring Field-Scale Land Surface Phenology

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 4465
Author(s):  
Yu Shen ◽  
Xiaoyang Zhang ◽  
Weile Wang ◽  
Ramakrishna Nemani ◽  
Yongchang Ye ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Cloud Cover ◽  
Landsat 8 ◽  
Field Scale ◽  
Spatiotemporal Resolution ◽  
Essential Information ◽  
Land Surface Phenology ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Sentinel 2

Accurate and timely land surface phenology (LSP) provides essential information for investigating the responses of terrestrial ecosystems to climate changes and quantifying carbon and surface energy cycles on the Earth. LSP has been widely investigated using daily Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) or Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) observations, but the resultant phenometrics are frequently influenced by surface heterogeneity and persistent cloud contamination in the time series observations. Recently, LSP has been derived from Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 time series providing detailed spatial pattern, but the results are of high uncertainties because of poor temporal resolution. With the availability of data from Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) onboard a new generation of geostationary satellites that observe the earth every 10–15 min, daily cloud-free time series could be obtained with high opportunities. Therefore, this study investigates the generation of synthetic high spatiotemporal resolution time series by fusing the harmonized Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 (HLS) time series with the temporal shape of ABI data for monitoring field-scale (30 m) LSP. The algorithm is verified by detecting the timings of greenup and senescence onsets around north Wisconsin/Michigan states, United States, where cloud cover is frequent during spring rainy season. The LSP detections from HLS-ABI are compared with those from HLS or ABI alone and are further evaluated using PhenoCam observations. The result indicates that (1) ABI could provide ~3 times more high-quality observations than HLS around spring greenup onset; (2) the greenup and senescence onsets derived from ABI and HLS-ABI are spatially consistent and statistically comparable with a median difference less than 1 and 10-days, respectively; (3) greenup and senescence onsets derived from HLS data show sharp boundaries around the orbit-overlapped areas and shifts of ~13 days delay and ~15 days ahead, respectively, relative to HLS-ABI detections; and (4) HLS-ABI greenup and senescence onsets align closely to PhenoCam observations with an absolute average difference of less than 2 days and 5 days, respectively, which are much better than phenology detections from ABI or HLS alone. The result suggests that the proposed approach could be implemented the monitor of 30 m LSP over regions with persistent cloud cover.

scholarly journals Crop NDVI Monitoring Based on Sentinel 1

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto Filgueiras ◽  
Everardo Chartuni Mantovani ◽  
Daniel Althoff ◽  
Elpídio Inácio Fernandes Filho ◽  
Fernando França da Cunha
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Cover ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Temporal Analysis ◽  
Agricultural Crops ◽  
Radar Sensors ◽  
Great Reliability ◽  
Phenological Cycle ◽  
Regression Techniques ◽  
Selection Of ◽  
Sentinel 2

Monitoring agricultural crops is necessary for decision-making in the field. However, it is known that in some regions and periods, cloud cover makes this activity difficult to carry out in a systematic way throughout the phenological cycle of crops. This circumstance opens up opportunities for techniques involving radar sensors, resulting in images that are free of cloud effects. In this context, the objective of this work was to obtain a normalized different vegetation index (NDVI) cloudless product (NDVInc) by modeling Sentinel 2 NDVI using different regression techniques and the Sentinel 1 radar backscatter as input. To do this, we used four pairs of Sentinel 2 and Sentinel 1 images on coincident days, aiming to achieve the greatest range of NDVI values for agricultural crops (soybean and maize). These coincident pairs were the only ones in which the percentage of clouds was not equal to 100% for 33 central pivot areas in western Bahia, Brazil. The dataset used for NDVInc modeling was divided into two subsets: training and validation. The training and validation datasets were from the period from 24 June 2017 to 19 July 2018 (four pairs of images). The best performing model was used in a temporal analysis from 02 October 2017 to 08 August 2018, totaling 55 Sentinel 2 images and 25 Sentinel 1 images. The selection of the best regression algorithm was based on two validation methodologies: K-fold cross-validation (k = 10) and holdout. We tested four modeling approaches with eight regression algorithms. The random forest was the algorithm that presented the best statistical metrics, regardless of the validation methodology and the approach used. Therefore, this model was applied to a time series of Sentinel 1 images in order to demonstrate the robustness and applicability of the model created. We observed that the data derived from Sentinel 1 allowed us to model, with great reliability, the NDVI of agricultural crops throughout the phenological cycle, making the methodology developed in this work a relevant solution for the monitoring of various regions, regardless of cloud cover.

DETECTION OF VERTICAL TANKS IN MULTISPECTRAL SATELLITE DATA ON ARCTIC TERRITORIES

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (7) ◽  
pp. 82-88
Author(s):  
I. V. Matelenok ◽  
N. A. Zhilnikova ◽  
V. O. Smirnova ◽  
A. S. Smirnova
Keyword(s):  
Regional Scale ◽  
Complete Information ◽  
Landsat 8 ◽  
Detection Algorithms ◽  
Blob Detection ◽  
High Resolution Images ◽  
Oil Tank ◽  
A New Technique ◽  
Remote Sensing Methods ◽  
Sentinel 2

The most complete information on the state of different man-made objects, collected with on-site and remote sensing methods, is required to ensure environmental and technospheric safety at the regional scale. The procedures of oil tank detection traditionally utilize high-cost, ultra-high-resolution images. The research is devoted to studying the possibility of using high and mediumresolution data from Landsat‑8 and Sentinel‑2 sensors to handle the task. Operating of the parts of the detection algorithms used in practice was analyzed, and some of them were selected as workable options which lead to satisfactory results being applied to data from mentioned instruments. A new technique of tank identifying which consists of classification, blob detection and filtering steps was developed. Testing of proposed solutions on data on the territory of Chaunsky District of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug showed the possibility of their use for detecting objects of the considered category.

Towards a Pan-European snow cover and melt extent product from Sentinel-1 SAR and Sentinel-3 SLSTR Data

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Nagler ◽  
Lars Keuris ◽  
Helmut Rott ◽  
Gabriele Schwaizer ◽  
David Small ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Change Detection ◽  
Snow Cover ◽  
Cloud Cover ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Mountain Areas ◽  
Seasonal Snow ◽  
Dense Forest ◽  
Seasonal Snow Cover ◽  
Sentinel 2

<p>The synergistic use of data from different satellites of the Sentinel series offers excellent capabilities for generating high quality products on key parameters of the global climate system and environment. A main parameter for climate monitoring, hydrology and water management is the seasonal snow cover. In the frame of the ESA project SEOM S1-4-SCI Snow, led by ENVEO, we developed, implemented and tested a novel approach for mapping the total extent and melting areas of the seasonal snow cover by synergistically exploiting Sentinel-1 SAR and Sentinel-3 SLSTR data and apply these tools for snow monitoring over the Pan-European domain.</p><p>Whereas data of medium resolution optical sensors are used for mapping the total snow extent, data of the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission in Interferometric Wide Swath (IW) mode at co- and cross-polarizations are used for mapping the extent of snowmelt areas applying change detection algorithms. In order to select an optimum procedure for retrieval of snowmelt area, we conducted round-robin experiments for various algorithms over different snow environments, including high mountain areas in the Alps and in Scandinavia, as well as lowland areas in Central Europe covered by grassland, agricultural plots, and forests. In mountain areas the tests show good agreement between snow extent products during the melting period derived from SAR data and from Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 data. In lowlands ambiguities may arise from temporal changes in backscatter related to soil moisture and agricultural activities. Dense forest cover is a major obstacle for snow detection by SAR because the surface is masked by the canopy layer which is a major scattering source at C-band. Therefore, areas with dense forest cover are masked out. Based on this results we selected for the retrieval of snowmelt area a change-detection algorithm using dual-polarized backscatter data of S1 IW acquisitions. The algorithm applies multi-channel speckle filtering and data fusion procedures for exploiting VV- and VH-polarized multi-temporal ratio images. The binary SAR snowmelt extent product at 100 m grid size is combined with the Sentinel-3 SLSTR and MODIS snow products in order to obtain combined maps of total snow area and melting snow. The optical satellite images provide information on snow extent irrespective of melting state but are impaired by cloud cover. For generating a fractional snow extent product from MODIS and Sentinel-3 SLSTR data we apply multi-spectral algorithms for cloud screening, the discrimination of snow free and snow covered regions and the retrieval of fractional snow extent. In order to fill gaps in the optical snow extent time sequence due to cloud cover we apply a data assimilation procedure using a snow pack model driven by numerical meteorological data of ECMWF, simulating daily changes in the snow extent. We present the results of the Pan-European snow cover and melt extent product derived from optical and SAR data. The performance of this product is evaluated in different environments using independent validation data sets including in-situ snow and meteorological measurements, snow products from Sentinel-2 and Landsat images, as well as high resolution numerical meteorological data.</p>

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