Article
Hurricane disturbance mapping using MODIS EVI data in the southeastern Yucatán, Mexico
Remote Sensing Letters
(2011)
Abstract
This letter evaluated the use of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) 250 m Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) standard product data (MOD/MYD13Q1 C5) to map the damage caused by Hurricane Dean (August 2007) to the forests in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico using a two-step vetting procedure. Sequences of MODIS EVI 16-day composite products captured before and after the hurricane were compared against 93 field damage plots to select an appropriate set of pre- and post-damage data. Aqua pairwise combinations produced the highest damage detection overall accuracy compared with Terra (82.4% vs. 73.8%, respectively) because of advantageous timing of the Aqua EVI compositing, relative to the hurricane event. The most accurate EVI damage map (91.4% overall) revealed highest damage detection in Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale zone 5 (i.e. wind speed >248 km h−1, i.e. 95%), followed by 93% in zone 4 (210–249 km h−1) and 87% in zone 3 (178–209 km h−1). Results indicate that MODIS EVI products provide timely and accurate maps of hurricane damage in subtropical forests.
Disciplines
Publication Date
2011
DOI
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01431161.2010.520344
Citation Information
John Rogan, Laura Schneider, Zachary Christman, Marco Millones, et al.. "Hurricane disturbance mapping using MODIS EVI data in the southeastern Yucatán, Mexico" Remote Sensing Letters Vol. 2 Iss. 3 (2011) p. 259 - 267 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/zachary-christman/5/