REMOTE SENSING ECOLOGY

We use remote sensing to study the functioning of ecosystems, in particular nutrient dynamics, physiology and links between vegetation, climate, insects and pathogens, and the water cycle. Our research seeks to connect aerial and space-borne sensor measurements with those taken at ground level to model and spatially map plant and ecosystem dynamics.

UW-EnSpec — the Environmental Spectroscopy Laboratory — is a UW core facility with capabilities in field spectroscopy, as well as airplane and drone remote sensing using hyperspectral, multispectral, thermal and LiDAR sensors.  EnSpec encompasses the computation and measurement facilities for our research and work with collaborators.

EcoSIS and EcoSML are online repositories focused on advancing spectroscopic research by facilitating data (EcoSIS) and model/code (EcoSML) sharing. EcoSIS and EcoSML meet requirements of granting agencies and journals for data accessibility, and contributors receive DOIs for their submissions. EcoSIS and EcoSML are supported by the NASA Advanced Information Systems Technology (AIST) Program.

Spectral Biology: We are one of the lead labs of a National Science Foundation Biology Integration Institute focused on Spectral Biology for the Study of Biodiversity and Global Change.

Open source code for hyperspectral image processing can be found on our GitHub.