3D Radiative Transfer Modeling of Heterogeneous Vegetation Canopies

Описание: Full Title:
3D Radiative Transfer Modeling of Heterogeneous Vegetation Canopies: from Reflectance to Photosynthesis

Abstract:
Accurate quantification of vegetation structure and function is critical for understanding the global carbon cycle and energy budget. However, the structural heterogeneity of vegetation canopies poses significant challenges to traditional remote sensing models, often leading to uncertainties in retrieving biophysical parameters. 3D Radiative Transfer (RT) modeling serves as a powerful bridge connecting remote sensing observations with the physical and physiological processes of vegetation.

In this seminar, Dr. Qi will introduce the Large-Scale Remote Sensing Data and Image Simulation Framework (LESS), a new 3D radiative transfer model developed to address these challenges. LESS employs efficient ray-tracing techniques to simulate photon interactions within complex, heterogeneous 3D scenes. The talk will demonstrate how LESS simulates multi-modal data—including visible/multispectral images, thermal infrared, and LiDAR signals—with high fidelity.

Furthermore, the presentation will extend beyond optical reflectance to discuss the modeling of photosynthesis and Solar-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence (SIF). By linking 3D structural information with physiological processes, the model provides a physics-based approach to validate satellite products and deepen our understanding of vegetation productivity under changing environmental conditions.

Bio:
Dr. Jianbo Qi is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, China. He obtained his PhD degree from Paul Sabatier University (University of Toulouse III) in France, and Beijing Normal University in China. His research interests lie at the intersection of remote sensing and computer graphics, with a primary focus on 3D radiative transfer modeling of complex land surfaces and LiDAR point cloud processing.

Dr. Qi is the lead developer of LESS (http://lessrt.org/), a widely used 3D radiative transfer model capable of efficiently simulating visible, thermal infrared, and LiDAR signals for heterogeneous 3D landscapes. This tool has become instrumental in quantitative remote sensing modeling and the validation of inversion algorithms. Additionally, he proposed and implemented the Cloth Simulation Filter (CSF) (https://github.com/jianboqi/CSF), a ground filtering algorithm for point clouds. It has received widespread acclaim within the community and has been integrated into numerous open-source tools (such as CloudCompare) and commercial photogrammetry software.