BBAuthors: Neinavaz, Elnaz; Advisor: -; Participants: - (2016)
Leaf area index (LAI) is an important essential biodiversity variable due to its role in many terrestrial ecosystem processes such as evapotranspiration, energy balance, and gas exchanges as well as plant growth potential. A novel approach presented here is the retrieval of LAI using thermal infrared (8–14 μm, TIR) measurements. Here, we evaluate LAI retrieval using TIR hyperspectral data. Canopy emissivity spectral measurements were recorded under controlled laboratory conditions using a MIDAC (M4401-F) illuminator Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometer for two plant species during which LAI was destructively measured. The accuracy of retrieval for LAI was then assessed using partial least square regression (PLSR) and narrow band index calculated in the form of normalized differen... 
