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UAVSAR image of Gabon Forest in Africa
UAVSAR image of Gabon Forest in Africa
UAVSAR image of Gabon Forest in Africa

AfriSAR

The AfriSAR airborne campaign collected radar and field measurements of tropical forests in Gabon, West Africa. During the 2016 AfriSAR campaign, the Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR) and Land, Vegetation, and Ice Sensor (LVIS) instruments collected data to derive forest canopy height, structure, and topography. The AfriSAR data was a precursor to spaceborne missions that examine the role of forests in Earth's carbon cycle.

Principal Investigator

Lola Fatoyinbo

Partners

AGEOS
DLR
ESA

Data Centers

ORNL DAAC

Funding Programs

Carbon Monitoring System
Study DatesJune 30, 2015 - February 25, 2016
Season of StudyWet
RegionGabon tropical forests
Spatial Bounds

N: 0°

S: 2°S

W: 9°E

E: 12°E

Focus AreasCarbon Cycle and Ecosystems
Geophysical ConceptsCarbon Storage and Processes
Scientific Topics

Carbon 

Tropical Forests

Canopy Height

Canopy Structure

Tropical Forest Topography

Biomass

Afforestation/Reforestati0on

Forest Science

Forest Composition/Vegetation Structure

Carbon Storage

Carbon Cycle 

PlatformInstrument(s)
Beechcraft B-200 King AirLand, Vegetation, and Ice Sensor (LVIS)
Gulfstream IIIUninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR)
Dornier 228Flugzeug Synthetic Aperture Radar (F-SAR)
Campaign Field Sites

Soil Moisture Probe

Clinometer

NASA participated in the second deployment of this campaign. The information in this inventory covers the entire campaign, but only NASA data are available.

The following resources provide additional information about the AfriSAR campaign.