USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center cornfield where the Spectral Bio-Indicators group lead by Dr. Elizabeth Middleton (NASA, Code 618) is working to find the best ways to detect stress-related spectral changes in vegetation using remote sensing; to determine how these spectral indices relate to the rate of ecosystem carbon uptake; and to understand how these relationships vary spatially, temporally, and are affected by vegetation structure. Dr. Petya Campbell (UMBC, Code 618) measures leaf spectral reflectance and fluorescence in the USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center cornfield. The in situ leaf measurements are compared with direct measurements of leaf photosynthesis and leaf chemistry. Dr. Petya Campbell (UMBC, Code 618) measures leaf spectral reflectance and fluorescence in the USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center cornfield. The in situ leaf measurements are compared with direct measurements of leaf photosynthesis and leaf chemistry. Dr. Petya Campbell (UMBC, Code 618) measures leaf spectral reflectance and fluorescence in the USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center cornfield. The in situ leaf measurements are compared with direct measurements of leaf photosynthesis and leaf chemistry. Dr. Qingyuan Zhang (USRA, Code 618) and Kristin Frye, a summer student, measure canopy spectral reflectance and fluorescence in the USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center cornfield. The Spectral Bio-Indicators group studies the relationships between plant responses to environmental conditions and their optical characteristics. Members of the Spectral Bio-Indicators group (Code 618) set up automated sensors in the USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center cornfield. These sensors are able to measure spectral reflectance and fluorescence of the corn diurnally through the growing season. Dr. Fred Huemmrich and Dr. Petya Campbell (UMBC. Code 618) measure leaf spectral reflectance and fluorescence in the USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center cornfield. Dr. Elizabeth Middleton (NASA, Code 618) measures corn leaf photosynthesis to examine the responses of leaves to different applications of nitrogen fertilizer. The instrument head of the LiCor 6400 Portable Photosynthesis System is clamped to a corn leaf to measure its photosynthetic response. These measurements are compared to optical measurements of the leaves as part of the Spectral Bio-Indicators study lead by Dr. Elizabeth Middleton (NASA, Code 618). Measuring canopy reflectance of the corn can become difficult when the corn gets tall. A pole is used to get the fiber optics above the canopy. Automated sensors measure chlorophyll fluorescence of corn plants in the USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center cornfield. These sensors provide continuous information on leaf photosynthesis and stress responses as part of the Spectral Bio-Indicators study lead by Dr. Elizabeth Middleton (NASA, Code 618). The automated FUSION sensor system is mounted atop a 10 m tall tower in the USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center cornfield. It scans the field measuring bidirectional patterns of spectral reflectance and fluorescence observing diurnal and seasonal changes as part of the Spectral Bio-Indicators study lead by Dr. Elizabeth Middleton (NASA, Code 618). Yen-Ben Cheng (formerly of ERT and Code 618) measures canopy spectral reflectance with using a backpack spectroradiometer in the USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center cornfield as part of the Spectral Bio-Indicators study lead by Dr. Elizabeth Middleton (NASA, Code 618). Yen-Ben Cheng (formerly of ERT and Code 618) measures canopy spectral reflectance with using a backpack spectroradiometer in the USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center cornfield as part of the Spectral Bio-Indicators study lead by Dr. Elizabeth Middleton (NASA, Code 618). Previous Next
