satellite-based fire detection and mapping for the eastern ... - COMET

EastFIRE SESSION 3C-2Table 1 - MODIS technical specifications (Source: NASA)INSTRUMENTTypeMulti-spectral cross track scanning radiometerView Angle 110 o (+/- 55 o from nadir)2,330 KM swath (cross track), 10 KM (alongSwathtrack)SpectralResolutionSpatialResolutionTemporalResolutionQuantization 12 bitsORBITTypeAltitudeInclinationEquatorialCrossingGENERALLaunch Date36 bands (0.4 µm to 14.4 µm, Visible toThermal Infrared)2 @ 250 meters, Red/NIR (Bands 1 & 2)5 @ 500 meters, Visible to MIR (Bands 3 – 7)29 @ 1 KM, Visible to TIR (Bands 8 – 36)Once daily for collection of solar reflectivebands; Twice daily for collection of thermalbands (at latitudes greater than 30 degrees)Sun-synchronous, near polar orbit705 KM98.2 o degreesDesign Life 6 years10:30 a.m. descending node (Terra); 1:30 p.m.ascending node (Aqua)December 18, 1999 (Terra); May 4, 2002(Aqua)present on daytime versus nighttime observations(Giglio et al., 2003).Immediate access to MODIS imagery and derivedfire detection locations is facilitated by the RapidResponse System (Descloitres et al., 2002)developed by GSFC and the University ofMaryland. The Rapid Response System is anautomated image processing system that processesMODIS imagery and extracts fire detectionlocations and associated fire characteristics. Firedetection processing in the Rapid Response Systemuses the same algorithm utilized by the MODISAdaptive Processing System (MODAPS) toproduce the MOD14 Fire and Thermal Anomaliesproduct (National Aeronautics and SpaceAdministration, 2005). The MOD14 product isavailable from the Land Processes DistributedActive Archive Center (LP-DAAC) within days ofMODIS image data acquisition; however, thisdelay minimizes its use for operational firedetection and monitoring.As the data source for the MODIS Active FireMapping Program, Rapid Response operates as adistributed system. The main Rapid ResponseSystem is located at GSFC and processes near realtimeMODIS data (2-4 hours post-acquisition) forthe entire United States. This raw image data ismade available to the GSFC Rapid ResponseSystem via a bent pipe feed from the NOAAMODIS Near Real Time Processing System. Inaddition to the main Rapid Response System, thereare several instances of the Rapid Response Systemresiding at MODIS direct readout ground stationsthroughout the United States. MODIS directreadout ground stations collect daily real-timeMODIS data for substantial portions of thecountry. MODIS image data are continuouslybroadcast directly from both MODIS sensors asthey orbit overhead. Ground stations can collectraw image data broadcast by MODIS whilemaintaining line of sight visibility to the sensor.These real-time MODIS data are immediatelyprocessed to extract fire locations using the RapidResponse System on site.For the MODIS Active Fire Mapping Program,real-time MODIS fire detection data coverage forthe eastern as well as the western United States isfacilitated by MODIS direct readout groundstations managed by RSAC in Salt Lake City, Utahand the Space Science and Engineering Center(SSEC) at the University of Wisconsin in Madison,Wisconsin. Raw fire detection data produced bythe Rapid Response System at GSFC and RSACand SSEC ground station facilities are continuouslyintegrated into the MODIS Active Fire MappingProgram at RSAC. The near real-time firedetection data provided by GSFC augments thereal-time data provided by the MODIS groundstations and serves as a alternative data sourcewhen necessary.3. MODIS ACTIVE FIRE MAPPINGPRODUCTS FOR THE EASTERN UNITEDSTATESRaw fire detection data are compiled and processedby the MODIS Active Fire Mapping Program toprovide several value-added geospatial products 24hours daily, year round. The operational productsprovide a comprehensive assessment of the currentfire activity and extent for the eastern UnitedStates, and the rest of the country, based on themost recent MODIS observations.MODIS Active Fire Mapping products areintended for use at regional and national scales.The products can also be used with local fireinformation (e.g. Incident Status SummaryDatabase (ICS209), National Fire Plan Operationsand Reporting System, etc.) to provide contextual

EastFIRE SESSION 3C-2information. The integration of MODIS firemapping products with various sources of ancillaryinformation facilitates an integrated decisionsupport system for the management of wildfire andprescribed fire activity. Notable MODIS ActiveFire Mapping Program geospatial productsprovided for the eastern United States include thefollowing:Hardcopy Fire Detection Maps- Digital versions ofregional scale hardcopy maps displayingcumulative and recent MODIS fire detectionactivity (Figure 2). 21 poster-size maps –including nine maps covering the area of theUnited States east of the Mississippi River - areupdated up to four times daily after local MODISobservations as fire conditions warrant.Interactive Fire Detection Map- Web-based,interactive fire detection mapping application forthe continental United States. Users can pan/zoomto a user-specified scale and integrate currentMODIS fire detection data with various map layers(Figure 3). MODIS fire detection data are updatedhourly and are provided in conjunction with firedetection data provided by NOAA NESDIS fromother high temporal sensors (McNamara et al.,2002). MODIS fire detection data compiled andprocessed by the MODIS Active Fire MappingProgram are also relayed to other web-based, firesupport mapping services including GeoMAC(http://geomac.usgs.gov).Figure 2 - Recent and cumulative year 2005 MODIS fire detection activity for southern Georgia and Alabama and northernFlorida on April 21, 2005. MODIS fire detections in the last 12 hours are depicted in red; last 24 hours in orange, andprevious detections in yellow.Figure 3 - Web-based, interactive MODIS fire detection maps display fire detection data with user-selected map layers at userdefinedmap extents and scales.

EastFIRE SESSION 3C-2Fire Detection GIS Data – Hourly updates ofcumulative 1 kilometer MODIS fire detectiondatasets for the entire United States. Current andhistorical GIS datasets include attribute fieldsdescribing fire characteristics and are compiledfrom MODIS Rapid Response output at GSFC andMODIS ground stations. These MODIS firedetection GIS datasets are also mirrored at theGeospatial One Stop (http://www.geodata.gov).Fire Detection Summaries – Cursory map andtabular summaries describing the most recentindividual MODIS fire detection locations for theUnited States.4. FUTURE OF THE PROGRAMIn preparation for the post-MODIS era, the MODISActive Fire Mapping Program is preparing toleverage the next generation of moderate resolutionsensors capable of fire detection and monitoring. Itis anticipated that future sensors will provide firedetection data at relatively higher spatial resolutionand assess additional characteristics about observedfire activity.Currently, RSAC is making preparations toleverage the Visible/Infrared Imager/RadiometerSuite (VIIRS) in the near future. VIIRS is afollow-on sensor to the Advanced Very HighResolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and will fly onthe National Polar-Orbiting EnvironmentalSatellite System (NPOESS). The first NPOESSsatellite will be launched in 2009 preceded by thelaunch of an EOS-NPOESS bridging mission, theNPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP), in late 2006.The VIIRS instrument onboard NPP and NPOESSis anticipated to collect global fire detection data ata spatial resolution of 750 meters. With a plannedconstellation of three NPOESS satellites orbitingthe Earth by 2013, VIIRS will provide six dailythermal observations for fire detection andmonitoring.5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThe author wishes to acknowledge several entitiesthat help make the USDA Forest Service MODISActive Fire Mapping Program possible. Theseentities include NASA Goddard Space FlightCenter and the University of Maryland for thedevelopment and implementation of the RapidResponse System; the NOAA MODIS Near RealTime Processing System for providing access tothe near real-time MODIS data stream; and, theUniversity of Wisconsin Space Science andEngineering Center and the University of Alaska-Fairbanks Geographic Information Network ofAlaska (GINA) for providing access to real-timeMODIS imagery and fire location data.6. REFERENCESDescloitres J., R. Sohlberg, J. Owens, L. Giglio, C.Justice, M. Carroll, J. Seaton, M. Crisologo,M. Finco, K. Lannom, and T. Bobbe, 2002:The MODIS Land Rapid Response project.IGARSS: IEEE International Geoscienceand Remote Sensing SymposiumProceedings, Toronto, 2002.Giglio, L., Descloitres, J., Justice, C. O., and Kaufman,Y. J., 2003: An enhanced contextual firedetection algorithm for MODIS. RemoteSensing of the Environment, 87, 273-282.McNamara, D., G. Stephens, B. Ramsay, E. Prins, I.Csiszar, C. Elvidge, R. Hobson, and C.Schmidt, 2002: Fire Detection andMonitoring Products at the National Oceanicand Atmospheric Administration.Photogrammetric Engineering and RemoteSensing 68, 774-775.National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2005:MODIS Fire and Thermal Anomalies Guide.Online technical reference, accessed April18, 2005. URL: http://modis-fire.umd.edu.National Interagency Coordination Center, 2005:National Interagency Coordination Center2004 Statistics and Summary. AccessedApril 15, 2005. URL:http://www.nifc.gov/news/2004_statssumm/2004Stats&Summ.html.7. AUTHOR BIOGRAPHYBrad Quayle is a remote sensing/geographicinformation system specialist in the OperationsProgram of the USDA Forest Service RemoteSensing Applications Center in Salt Lake City,Utah. At RSAC, he manages the MODIS ActiveFire Mapping Program and utilizes MODIS andother satellite sensors to support other aspects ofwildfire management, and resource inventory andassessment objectives.