The Chlorophyll Fluorescence Imaging Spectrometer (CFIS): A New Airborne Instrument for Quantifying Solar-Induced Fluorescence

Abstract:

Recent demonstrations of the retrieval of vegetation solar-induced fluorescence (SIF) emission from satellite platforms have opened up the possibility of remotely monitoring photosynthetic function, in addition to the structural and biochemical parameters that characterize the current capabilities of vegetation observing systems. These satellite retrievals, from platforms such as GOSAT, GOME-2, and most recently NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 (OCO-2), provide powerful evidence of the correlation between vegetation productivity and SIF at seasonal to annual timescales, and at spatial resolutions of tens to hundreds of kilometers. The Chlorophyll Fluorescence Imaging Spectrometer (CFIS) was recently developed for OCO-2 validation purposes and provides an airborne capability to help fill the spatial gap between leaf- or canopy-level observations of SIF flux and extensive satellite footprints. The flexibility of an airborne instrument likewise allows for studies of the temporal variability of SIF emission over consecutive days, or with meteorological variability throughout a day. CFIS is a high resolution (<0.1nm) spectrometer covering the 740-770nm wavelength range, optimized for SIF quantification. Here we present an overview of the instrument design and capabilities, along with the retrieval methodology. An evaluation of data collected during initial campaigns conducted during the spring and summer of 2015 are also presented, demonstrating variability within and between days for campaigns spanning multiple days in the Midwest US and Northern California. Results will be compared to OCO-2 data as well as flux-tower measurements made during the CFIS flights.