Fan et al. (2026) First vegetation optical depth product retrieved from FengYun-3D X-band observations

Identification

• Journal: Remote Sensing of Environment
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-09-14
• Authors: Lei Fan, Mengjia Wang, Dongbo Chen, Philippe Ciais, Frédéric Frappart, Jiangyuan Zeng, Gabrielle Jacinthe Maria de Lannoy, Jian Peng, Xiuqing Hu, Ronghan Xu, Xin Li, Xiaojun Li, Xiangzhuo Liu, Yao Xiao, Jean‐Pierre Wigneron
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rse.2026.115647

Research Groups

• School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
• Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, LSCE/IPSL, CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Universit´e Paris Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
• ISPA, UMR 1391, INRAE Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Universit´e de Bordeaux, Villenave d'Ornon, France
• State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
• Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium
• Department of Remote Sensing, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
• Remote Sensing Centre for Earth System Research, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
• Key Laboratory of Radiometric Calibration and Validation for Environmental Satellites, National Satellite Meteorological Center (National Center for Space Weather), China Meteorological Administration, Beijing, China
• National Tibetan Plateau Data Center, State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Environment and Resources (TPESER), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

Short Summary

This study presents the first vegetation optical depth product retrieved from FengYun-3D X-band observations, demonstrating strong consistency with commonly used vegetation-related variables. The new product exhibits improved correlation with temporal dynamics compared to existing approaches.

Objective

• To retrieve daily X-band Vegetation Optical Depth (X-VOD) at a spatial resolution of 0.25° from FengYun-3D microwave brightness temperature observations

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Global, with a focus on vegetated areas
• Temporal Scale: Daily, covering the period 2022–2024

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Tau-Omega radiative transfer model, X-MEB algorithm
• Data sources: FengYun-3D microwave brightness temperature observations, ground-based soil moisture (SM) observations, ECMWF Reanalysis 5 (ERA5) dataset

Main Results

• The FY-3D X-VOD exhibits strong consistency with commonly used vegetation-related variables, including aboveground biomass, tree cover, canopy height, and optical vegetation indices.
• Spatial correlation coefficients range from 0.74 to 0.86 for FY-3D X-VOD compared to 0.66–0.80 for Land Parameter Data Record and 0.57–0.72 for Land Parameter Retrieval Model.

Contributions

• This study presents the first FengYun-3D-based X-VOD product, demonstrating improved accuracy and reliability over existing approaches.
• The new product shows potential for monitoring vegetation dynamics and biomass changes at a global scale.

Funding

• This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 42141003) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No. SWU120913).

Citation

@article{Fan2026First,
  author = {Fan, Lei and Wang, Mengjia and Chen, Dongbo and Ciais, Philippe and Frappart, Frédéric and Zeng, Jiangyuan and Lannoy, Gabrielle Jacinthe Maria de and Peng, Jian and Hu, Xiuqing and Xu, Ronghan and Li, Xin and Li, Xiaojun and Liu, Xiangzhuo and Xiao, Yao and Wigneron, Jean‐Pierre},
  title = {First vegetation optical depth product retrieved from FengYun-3D X-band observations},
  journal = {Remote Sensing of Environment},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1016/j.rse.2026.115647},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2026.115647}
}