Modeling Recollision and Escape Probabilities [|#11#|]USING the Stochastic Radiative Transfer Equation

The concept of canopy spectral invariants expresses the observation that simple algebraic combinations of leaf and canopy spectral reflectance become wavelength independent and determine two canopy structure specific variables - the recollision and escape probabilities. These variables specify an accurate relationship between the spectral response of a vegetation canopy to incident solar radiation at the leaf and the canopy scale. They are sensitive to important structural features of the canopy such as forest cover, tree density, leaf area index, crown geometry, forest type and stand age. The canopy spectral invariant behavior is a very strong effect clearly seen in optical remote sensing data. The relative simplicity of retrieving the spectral invariants however is accompanied by considerable difficulties in their interpretations due to the lack of models for these parameters. We use the stochastic radiative transfer equation to relate the spectral invariants to the 3D canopy structure. Stochastic radiative transfer model treats the vegetation canopy as a stochastic medium. It expresses the 3D spatial correlation with the use of the pair correlation function, which plays a key role in measuring the spatial correlation of the 3D canopy structure over a wide range of scales. Data analysis from a simulated single bush to the comprehensive forest canopy is presented for both passive and active (lidar) remote sensing domain.