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satellite image of Superior National Forest
trees
satellite image of Superior National Forest

SNF

Superior National Forest

The Superior National Forest (SNF) project was an intensive NASA experiment conducted in 1983-84 in a portion of Superior National Forest near Ely, Minnesota. The study area covered a 50 x 50 km area at the southern edge of the boreal forest. The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the ability of remote sensing tools to provide estimates of the biophysical properties of ecosystems, such as leaf area index (LAI), biomass, and net primary productivity (NPP).

Principal Investigator

Forrest G. Hall

Data Centers

ORNL DAAC

Funding Programs

NASA HQ Land Processes Branch
Study DatesMay 5, 1983 - Sept. 23, 1984
Season of StudyBoreal fall, boreal summer
RegionSuperior National Forest near Ely, Minnesota
Spatial Bounds

N: 48.2°N

S: 47.7°N

W: 92.5°W

E: 91.8°W

Focus Areas

Carbon Cycle and Ecosystems

Climate Variability and Change

Geophysical ConceptsBiogeochemical Cycles
Scientific Topics

Forest Ecology

Canopy Reflectance

Forest Phenology

Vegetation Characteristics

Tree Species Classification

Leaf Area Index

Bark Area Index

Net Primary Productivity

Biomass Estimation

PlatformInstrument(s)
C-130 HerculesThematic Mapper Simulator (TMS)
NASA Bell Jet-RangerModular Multiband Radiometer (MMR)
Land SiteSpectrophotometer

The following resources provide additional information about the SNF campaign: