title: Optical remote sensing of environment in Estonia and Baltic region
reg no: SF0062466s03
project type: targeted financing
subject: 1.1-1.5. Exact Sciences
1.10-1.16. Bio-Geo Sciences
4. Agricultural Sciences
status: accepted
institution: Tartu Observatory
head of project: Tiit Nilson
duration: 01.01.2003 - 31.12.2007
description: Algorithms are derived to retrieve various state parameters of the atmosphere, vegetation and ground surface by means of optical remotely sensed data mainly using the inverse methods of the radiative transfer theory. Different ground truth measurements are carried out to test the respective algorithms. The continuos measurements of spectral atmospheric transparency and of variable atmospheric constituents by means of a sunphotometer are set up. Atmospheric ozon layer and aerosols and their effect on the solar UV-radiation at the ground surface are studied. The program packages of atmospheric correction of satellite images that rely on the sunphotometer data are taken into a routine use. Methods to upscale the sunphotometer data onto a larger area (whole satellite image) are elaborated. Satellite images are transformed into the physical units of reflectance factors and methods are elaborated to create the tractable from the point-of-view of environmental changes time series in Estonia and Baltic region. Fundamental radiative transfer characteristics are measured in willow and alder plantations to be applied in the remote sensing and productivity models of vegetation. The variability of time series of Estonian climatic parameters and radiation climate in particular are studied. The non-stationary time series of the global climate are characterized from the point-of-view of their persistence/anti-persistence. New field spectrometers are designed and made to carry out ground-based remote sensing measurements.

project group
no name institution position  
1.Ilmar AnskoTartu ObservatoryInsener 
2.Kalju EermeTartu ObservatoryV. teadur 
3.Ain KallisTartu ObservatoryInsener 
4.Rutt KoppelTartu ObservatoryInsener 
5.Andres KuuskTartu ObservatoryV. teadur 
6.Olavi KärnerTartu ObservatoryV. teadur 
7.Toomas KübarseppTartu ObservatoryTeadur 
8.Mait LangTartu Observatorydoktorant 
9.Tõnu LükkTartu ObservatoryInsener 
10.Enn-Märt MaasikTartu ObservatoryInsener 
11.Matti MõttusTartu ObservatoryDoktorant 
12.Tiit NilsonTartu Observatory 
13.Markko PaasUniversity of TartuMagistrant 
14.Matti PehkTartu ObservatoryInsener 
15.Urmas PetersonTartu ObservatoryTeadur 
16.Tõnu PransTartu ObservatoryTehnik 
17.Viivi RandmetsTartu ObservatoryLaborant 
18.Anu ReinartTartu ObservatoryTeadur 
19.Juhan RossTartu ObservatoryV. teadur 
20.Vello RossTartu ObservatoryInsener 
21.Viivi RussakTartu ObservatoryTeadur 
22.Madis SulevTartu ObservatoryTeadur 
23.Rainis UigaEstonian Agricultural UniversityDoktorant 
24.Uno VeismannTartu ObservatoryV. teadur