A robust approach for estimating LAI from Landsat TM/ETM+ imagery

Leaf area index (LAI) is a quantitative measure of vegetation cover and of use in models of carbon, water and energy budgets. The recent availability of well-calibrated coverages of Landsat ETM+ imagery over large areas offers an opportunity for production of LAI estimates at fine spatial resolution. Empirical regressions between LAI and selected vegetation indices are applied to propagate uncertainties in calibration and atmospheric correction into LAI retrieval errors. Furthermore, the sensitivity to land cover mixtures is assessed by comparing retrievals with Landsat scale land cover with a 1km land cover product. A single Canada-wide composite of LAI derived from available Landsat ETM+ imagery is produced.