Eyes above to monitor plant production systems below.

摘要

Solar energy interacts with objects on the surface of the earth. It is evident that the result of this interaction is impacted by the properties of the objects. As such, the characteristics of the interaction results can serve as diagnostics for the object’s momentaneous state. More in particular, the energy spectrum bounced from plant material, commonly referred to as reflectance, holds the potential to reveal plant system and vegetative process properties. However, this requires that the interaction signal, as captured by modern-day remote sensors, be appropriately calibrated, decontaminated and processed from signal to information level. This study intends to illustrate the basic principles involved in plant production system monitoring using remote sensors that record spectral interaction signatures. The highly complex nature of such procedures is detailed, actual applications are highlighted, and a first glimpse of where we are going with this technology in the near future is revealed.