[A-CG33] Terrestrial monitoring using new-generation geostationary satellites

[ACG33-06] Seasonal variations in photosynthesis activities across Southeast Asia detected by a new geostationary satellite, Himawari-8

*Kazuhito Ichii¹, Kodai Hayashi¹, Yuhei Yamamoto¹ (1.Chiba University)

Keywords:Himawari-8, Vegetation Monitoring, Southeast Asia

Satellite-based monitoring of terrestrial vegetation over tropical forests is challenging due to the frequent cloud cover. In particular, vegetation activities in southeast Asia is one of the most unknown regions due to severe cloud cover and heavy precipitation. Polar-orbiting satellites which were traditionally used for terrestrial vegetation monitoring were New geostationary satellites, such as Himawari-8/AHI (H8-AHI) are expected to observe better due to its high observation frequency (every 10 minutes). In this study, we quantified how much more cloud-free observations can be obtained using H8-AHI data in Southeast Asia, compared to using polar-orbiting satellite data, Terra and Aqua/MODIS. First, we confirmed that cloud detection rates are similar between H8-AHI and MODIS cloud masks. Then, we found that H8-AHI observation substantially increased cloud-free observation compared with those of MODIS at monthly scale. Finally, we compared resulting cloud free vegetation index time-series between AHI and MODIS and only H8-AHI tracks seasonal plant phenology over tropical forests.