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Assessment of desertification processes

Assessment of desertification processes by satellite remote sensing is an important task in China and other arid regions of the world.

In this joint research project with the Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, a full year time-series of SPOT VEGETATION images with 1 km spatial resolution was used to produce a land cover map with special emphasis on the detection of sparse vegetation as an indicator of areas at risk of desertification. The study area covered 2000 x 3500km in North China extending from temperate forests to the Gobi desert to the Tibet high plateau.

  • Processing and analysis of a full year time series of SPOT VEGETATION images
  • Land cover classification based on spectral reflectance and NDVI
  • Assessment of areas with a medium to high desertification risk

Huang S. & F. Siegert (2006). Land cover classification of arid areas in North China based on time series SPOT VEGETATION imagery. Journal of Arid Environment, 67, 308-327