Burn scar detection in southern Africa using a bi-directional reflectance model based approach

A new generic approach to change detection is presented. Applicable to high temporal and moderate spatial resolution satellite data, the method identifies the location, the start and the duration of surface change. The algorithm described exploits the information content of the remote sensing signal as a result of angular variations, and employs a statistical measure to differentiate between short term and persistent surface change. In the context of the current research, the algorithm has been applied to the detection and mapping of burned areas, and has been tested on high temporal resolution MODIS data for an area of southern Africa for the 2001 burn season.