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Spaceborne detection and characterization of fires during the bi-spectral infrared detection (BIRD) experimental small satellite mission (2001–2004)

Spaceborne detection and characterization of fires during the bi-spectral infrared detection (BIRD) experimental small satellite mission (2001–2004)
Spaceborne detection and characterization of fires during the bi-spectral infrared detection (BIRD) experimental small satellite mission (2001–2004)
Wildfires have a range of significant environmental effects with respect to both Earth's surface and atmosphere. Spaceborne remote sensing of active fires has been undertaken for more than two decades, but the bi-spectral Infrared Detection (BIRD) Experimental Small Satellite (2001–04) is the first mission dedicated to this task. This paper summarizes the experience gained during the BIRD mission, which has focused both on active fire detection and active fire characterization, in terms of quantifying effective fire temperature (TF), effective fire area (AF) and fire radiative power (FRP). A detailed error analysis for each parameter is undertaken, and the accuracy of FRP retrieval is shown to be significantly better than that of TF or AF. For key fire-affected forest, bush and savanna environments (Australia, Benin, Borneo, Brazil, Canada-US, Portugal and Siberia) BIRD data allows FRP estimation to within 30% in 75% of fires examined, and for the first time from space BIRD is able to allow estimation of fireline length, effective fireline depth and radiative fireline intensity for the more pronounced fire fronts. Some indication of the predominant combustion regime (smoldering or flaming), which has implications for the relative concentrations of emitted pollutant products, is possible through use of the TF parameter. This experience demonstrates the advantages of the new infrared sensor technologies employed in BIRD, and offers suggestions for future fire monitoring sensors based on similar technologies.
satellite fire detection, small satellite mission, bird, quantitative fire characterization, fire radiative power
0034-4257
29-51
Zhukov, B.
5b955e1f-0a13-4b0d-abcd-6e326a5f42a0
Lorenz, E.
6eb357bd-42df-4cce-ae04-1b70932d324f
Oertel, D.
0485db45-14b4-412d-99e3-66396b530495
Wooster, M.
88bb3608-dd6f-45cd-826b-5b6776952d4b
Roberts, G.
fa1fc728-44bf-4dc2-8a66-166034093ef2
Zhukov, B.
5b955e1f-0a13-4b0d-abcd-6e326a5f42a0
Lorenz, E.
6eb357bd-42df-4cce-ae04-1b70932d324f
Oertel, D.
0485db45-14b4-412d-99e3-66396b530495
Wooster, M.
88bb3608-dd6f-45cd-826b-5b6776952d4b
Roberts, G.
fa1fc728-44bf-4dc2-8a66-166034093ef2

Zhukov, B., Lorenz, E., Oertel, D., Wooster, M. and Roberts, G. (2006) Spaceborne detection and characterization of fires during the bi-spectral infrared detection (BIRD) experimental small satellite mission (2001–2004). Remote Sensing of Environment, 100 (1), 29-51. (doi:10.1016/j.rse.2005.09.019).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Wildfires have a range of significant environmental effects with respect to both Earth's surface and atmosphere. Spaceborne remote sensing of active fires has been undertaken for more than two decades, but the bi-spectral Infrared Detection (BIRD) Experimental Small Satellite (2001–04) is the first mission dedicated to this task. This paper summarizes the experience gained during the BIRD mission, which has focused both on active fire detection and active fire characterization, in terms of quantifying effective fire temperature (TF), effective fire area (AF) and fire radiative power (FRP). A detailed error analysis for each parameter is undertaken, and the accuracy of FRP retrieval is shown to be significantly better than that of TF or AF. For key fire-affected forest, bush and savanna environments (Australia, Benin, Borneo, Brazil, Canada-US, Portugal and Siberia) BIRD data allows FRP estimation to within 30% in 75% of fires examined, and for the first time from space BIRD is able to allow estimation of fireline length, effective fireline depth and radiative fireline intensity for the more pronounced fire fronts. Some indication of the predominant combustion regime (smoldering or flaming), which has implications for the relative concentrations of emitted pollutant products, is possible through use of the TF parameter. This experience demonstrates the advantages of the new infrared sensor technologies employed in BIRD, and offers suggestions for future fire monitoring sensors based on similar technologies.

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More information

Published date: 15 January 2006
Keywords: satellite fire detection, small satellite mission, bird, quantitative fire characterization, fire radiative power

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 188491
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/188491
ISSN: 0034-4257
PURE UUID: 49d78aa9-9e6c-4a3d-897f-499b741d94f9
ORCID for G. Roberts: ORCID iD orcid.org/0009-0007-3431-041X

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Date deposited: 31 May 2011 15:11
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:39

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Contributors

Author: B. Zhukov
Author: E. Lorenz
Author: D. Oertel
Author: M. Wooster
Author: G. Roberts ORCID iD

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