Statement: In an attempt to bridge the gap between satellite remote sensing and meteorological research, I have been investigating the effects of dry lightning strikes and other meteorological factors on fire activity in the North American boreal forest. Now as a Ph.D. student, I am working to provide a detailed validation of the method developed by Dozier (1981), to retrieve sub-pixel fire area and temperature information for MODIS pixels. This is accomplished using the multispectral, high-resolution data from an Autonomous Modular Sensor (AMS), flown aboard an Unmanned Airborne Vehicle (UAV). The goal is to provide a good approximation of fire area and temperature within each MODIS pixel. This information will not only provide a valuable step for improving emissions estimates, it will also allow the meteorological effects on fire radiative power (FRP) to be investigated with better accuracy. I am excited for the 2010 ECSA and looking forward to the collaborations and discussions.
Related Publications:
Peterson, D., Wang, J., Ichoku, C., and Remer, L.: Effects of lightning and other meteorological factors on fire activity in the North American boreal forest: implications for fire weather forecasting, Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 10, 8297-8339, doi:10.5194/acpd-10-8297-2010, 2010.
Talk: Integrating Remote Sensing and Meteorological Technologies to Improve Fire Weather Research