Potential of MODIS ocean bands for estimating CO₂ flux from terrestrial vegetation: A novel approach

Abstract

A physiologically‐driven spectral index using two ocean‐color bands of MODIS satellite sensor showed great potential to track seasonally changing photosynthetic light use efficiency (LUE) and stress‐induced reduction in net primary productivity (NPP) of terrestrial vegetation. Based on these findings, we developed a simple “continuous field” model solely based on remotely sensed spectral data that could explain 88% of variability in flux‐tower based daily NPP. For the first time, such a procedure is successfully tested at landscape level using satellite imagery. These findings highlight the unexplored potential of narrow‐band satellite sensors to improve estimates of spatial and temporal distribution in terrestrial carbon flux.