A New Way to View Vegetation

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LAI palette

Scientists used the long record of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index data acquired by NOAA’s polar-orbiting weather satellites to create a long-term Leaf Area Index (LAI) dataset. The image at left shows LAI values from March 1991. An animation shows average monthly LAI from July 1981 to June 1991. The Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments aboard the Terra and Aqua satellites will extend this dataset with more accurate LAI measurements. (Data provided by Boston University Climate and Vegetation Research Group. Image and animation by Robert Simmon)

large animation (640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, 14.4 MB Quicktime)

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