IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Magazine - June 2013 - 38

1. IntroductIon
pectroradiometric field surveys generally aim at the investigation of the spectral variability on ground, at the
local and close view scales, with high quality data, and the
subsequent application of this information to the regional
scale observations through hyperspectral imagery [1], [2].
Such type of campaigns are specifically designed to account
for the spectral variability on ground at the local and close
view scales, and they provide an invaluable support for
calibration, data processing and validation of image analysis [3]. In order to maximize the information coming from
them, processing remotely sensed data with the support of
ground spectroradiometric data requires that on one hand
the in situ observations are accurately collected and statistically representative, and on the other hand, the information
is conveniently documented to be managed and retrieved.
The scientific literature frequently addresses the topic of the
practical application of spectroradiometric campaigns in providour operatIonal
ing additional information for
workflow for fIeld
pre-processing and processing of
spectroradIometry
remote sensing images, especially
Includes guIdelInes
when carried out simultaneously
for campaIgn
to satellite or airborne hyper/
plannIng,
multi-spectral sensors overpass
measurement
[3], [4]. In particular, they procollectIon and data
vide an invaluable support to
exploItatIon.
the calibration, processing and
validation of the remote data
covering various applications:
with examples going from atmospheric effect correction [5]-[10], to land cover mapping and
environmental parameters assessment [11]-[13].
Although sometimes considered as a mere matter of technology, instruments availability and organization, the collection of in situ spectra is not a trivial task [4]. The rigorous
collection of in situ measurements has a four-fold objective:
(i) provide reference information for pre-processing and processing operations (i.e., calibration, atmospheric correction,
pattern recognition, endmember retrieval) of remote sensing imagery; (ii) implement spectral libraries for archive and
simulation purposes (i.e., testing the capabilities of new sensors; setting the spectral resolution required for the observation of particular features); (iii) study the spectral behavior
of different materials and their intrinsic properties, via scaling from proximal up to regional scales, for applications
such as: the study of vegetation health and phenology, water
color and quality assessment, thematic mapping of lithotypes, organic matter distribution, and soil moisture content;
iv) avoid the errors due to incorrect calibration and/or atmospheric correction, and reduce the risks that the selection of
incorrect reference spectra could invalidate or bias the whole
processing of imagery data.
The radiometric variability on ground depends
on a number of parameters that should be collected

S

38

simultaneously to the measurements. In addition, the
retrieval of correct radiometric quantities-which is critical in a wide variety of applications-requires high levels of accuracy in data collection. As a consequence, the
fulfillment of specific criteria in the accomplishment of
spectroradiometric field surveys is recognized as a fundamental step toward the development of the measurement
standardization and data interoperability processes. The
formalization of a measurement and data protocol with
proper rules and guidelines for the selection of targets,
measurement collection (both in the field and in the laboratory), and data encoding will enforce the successful
integration of different datasets acquired at different time
and by different operators.
So far, much of the efforts to establish standard guidelines for the accomplishment of field measurements have
been focused on the formalization of a convenient set of
metadata that consistently document the measurement
archive [14], [15]. Recent examples show efforts focusing
on finding both solutions and advancements that enhance
specific aspects of spectroradiometric field practice; nevertheless, a comprehensive approach that holds together
guidelines and best practices in field data acquisition is
still not defined with sufficient maturity [16]. The diverse
nature of such topic, which includes numerous as well as
heterogeneous issues, requires a solution based on an holistic approach, with as much standardization as possible, and
the proper flexibility to ensure that the standard procedures
can be fruitfully applied in different domains and application fields.
Our objective here is to provide a proposal for a workflow that includes the requirements for planning, performing and exploiting spectroradiometric field surveys
in the context of remote sensing environmental analysis
techniques. The formalization of a standard measurement
process is beyond the purpose of the present work, but the
structuring of an operational workflow approach is a step
forward in this direction.
The guidelines here proposed form a complement to the
results of two field campaigns carried out in a very challenging environment and under complex conditions, in
order to show their applicability, weakness, threats and
usefulness. The key ideas underlying our field data acquisition-storage work-flow are that: (a) acquisition planning:
the more focused is the field survey, the more accurate is
the retrieval of information from image analysis; (b) storing data: storing well documented measurements in proper
data repositories will provide guidelines for planning future
surveys and eventually identifying spectral pseudo-invariant features at their locations [17]; (c) flagging data: provide
proper metadata, as the relational reference table to the
repository of measurements will allow both data providers
and users to interact with an interoperable database making easy to discover and access data, even through the internet; (d) exploiting spectral library: using such approach to
carry out spectroradiometric field surveys with the special
ieee Geoscience and remote sensinG maGazine

june 2013



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