LBA Regional Land Cover from AVHRR, 1-km, 1992-1993 (Hansen et al.)

The PAL data set has a record length of 14 years (1981-1994), providing the ability to test the stability of classification algorithms. The PAL data set includes red, infrared, and thermal bands in addition to the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Inclusion of these additional bands improves discrimination between cover types.

The LGRSS researchers' aim was to develop and validate global land cover data sets and to develop advanced methodologies for more realistically describing the vegetative land surface based on satellite data. The 1-km global land cover product was created from 1992-1993 local area coverage (LAC) AVHRR data. The global land cover product is available for download from the University of Maryland's Global Land Cover Facility (GLCF) Web site (glcf.umiacs.umd.edu/data/landcover/index.shtml).

Forty-one metrics were developed to describe global vegetation phenology, and these data were used to make the 1-km land cover map. The final product contains 13 land cover classes. More information can be found at ftp://daac.ornl.gov/data/lba/land_use_land_cover_change/land_cover_data_1km/comp/glcf1km_readme.pdf.

LBA was a cooperative international research initiative led by Brazil. NASA was a lead sponsor for several experiments. LBA was designed to create the new knowledge needed to understand the climatological, ecological, biogeochemical, and hydrological functioning of Amazonia; the impact of land use change on these functions; and the interactions between Amazonia and the Earth system.

More information about LBA can be found at daac.ornl.gov/LBA/misc_amazon.html.