Retrieving of LAI and fAPAR with airborne POLDER data over various biomes

The objectives of the paper is to study a method of retrieval of LAI and fAPAR parameters based on the inversion of a BRDF model against remote sensing data from forthcoming wide field of view optical satellite sensors such as POLDER/ADEOS, VGT/SPOT4, MODIS/EOS, MISR/EOS. The model used is that of Kuusk (1994). The evaluation of this approach is made with field data and airborne POLDER acquired during BOREAS 94 and HAPEX 92. The results show that the LAI is restituted with an accuracy higher than that obtained with a semi-empirical relationship LAI-vegetation index. The daily fAPAR is also very well restituted. It is concluded that the retrieval of biophysical parameters from inversion of a BRDF model is promising in the perspective of a quantitative characterization of the terrestrial biosphere.