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satellite image of Altedena, California
soil moisture data over California
satellite image of Lake Shasta

WDTS

Western Diversity Time Series

The Western Diversity Time Series (WDTS) field investigation was focused on observing California's ecosystems and providing critical information on natural disasters such as volcanoes, wildfires, and drought through multispectral imagery. 

WDTS collected seasonal visible to shortwave infrared (VSWIR) and thermal infrared (TIR) airborne imagery using instruments including the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS-C), MODIS/ASTER Airborne Simulator (MASTER), Hyperspectral Thermal Emission Spectrometer (HyTES), and Pushbroom Imager for Cloud and Aerosol Research and Development (PICARD) on a NASA ER-2 high-altitude platform.

WDTS aims to provide a benchmark on the state of ecosystems against which future changes can be assessed. WDTS started in 2020 and is a continuation of the HyspIRI Airborne campaign which took place from 2013-2018.

Principal Investigator

Simon Hook, Robert Green
Study DatesSept. 17, 2020 - December 31, 2024
Season of StudyBoreal fall, boreal spring, boreal winter
RegionSouthern California, Nevada, Pacific Ocean
Spatial Bounds

N: 43°N

S: 30°N

W: 130°W

E: 112°W

Focus AreasCarbon Cycle and Ecosystems
Geophysical ConceptsLand Characteristics
Scientific Topics

Land Cover

Land Cover Changes

Land Use

Vegetation

Land Surface Temperature

Radiance

Emissivity

Visible Imagery

Thermal Infrared Imagery

Shortwave Infrared Imagery

Ecosystem

Land Characteristics

PlatformInstrument(s)
ER-2

Pushbroom Imager for Cloud and Aerosol Research and Development (PICARD)

Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer - Classic (AVIRIS-C)

Hyperspectral Thermal Emission Spectrometer (HyTES)

MODIS/ASTER Airborne Simulator (MASTER)

HySpex

Airborne Multiangle SpectroPolarimetric Imager (AirMSPI)