Introduction to fraction of absorbed par by canopy chlorophyll (fAPARchl) and canopy leaf water content derived from hyperion, simulated HyspIRI and MODIS images

Fraction of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) absorbed by canopy chlorophyll (fAPAR
_chl
) is different from fraction of PAR absorbed by the whole canopy (fAPAR
_canopy
, i.e., FPAR). The concept, algorithm and product of fAPAR
_chl
, and the product of leaf water content (LWC) are new to the remote sensing community and ecosystem scientists. In this paper, we introduce fAPAR
_chl
and LWC and provide examples. Different from vegetation indices, both fAPAR
_chl
and LWC provide unique quantitative vegetation physiological information. They can be utilized in carbon cycle studies, land-atmosphere interaction research, land cover and land use studies, terrestrial ecosystems, forestry and agricultural studies.