Identification of Smoldering Peatland Fires in Indonesia via Triple-Phase Temperature Analysis of VIIRS Nighttime Data

The Payne Institute Earth Observation Group researchers Christopher D. Elvidge, Mikhail Zhizhin, Feng-Chi Hsu, and NOAA researcher Kimberly Baugh have contributed to the book titled Biomass Burning in South and Southeast Asia.  They apply a spectral un-mixing procedure to uniquely identify low-temperature (320–500 K) peatland smoldering in Indonesia using nighttime data collected by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). The analysis begins with the detection of subpixel infrared (IR) emitters in six spectral bands spanning the near-infrared (NIR), shortwave infrared (SWIR), and midwave infrared (MWIR). With sunlight eliminated, the NIR and SWIR radiances can be fully attributed to the IR emitter. July 28, 2021.