1. BELMANIP: Benchmark Land Multisite Analysis and Intercomparison of Products
F. Baret, J. Morissette, R. Fernandes, J.L. Champeaux, R. Myneni, J. Chen, S. Plummer, M. Weiss, C. Bacour

2. Motivations
The validation of biophysical products (LAI, fAPAR, fCover, albedo, …) derived from medium resolution senors could be achieved by:
direct comparison to ground measurements : absolute validation such as VALERI, MODLAND, BIGFOOT, CCRS, BSNR…
but requires important efforts
therefore only few sites available
Representativeness of the sites (time/space)
Inter-comparison of products (algorithms, sensors)
Does not require ground measurements and therefore allow to include a larger number of sites for a better temporal and spatial representativeness
Requires a global coordination under CEOS for better efficiency
Propose a network of sites covering the whole earth surface and representing the several surface types and conditions
Propose a common period for intercomparison
Propose a standard format for cross comparison between products
Propose a mechanism to share products extracts
EGU-Vienna 28/04/2005

3. Objectives
Evaluate the representativeness of absolute validation sites
Propose a network of sites for indirect evaluation: BELMANIP
Inter-comparaison,
Temporal consistency
Internal consistency of products (LAI/albedo/fAPAR, …)
Representativeness based on ECOCLIMAP classification/climatology
EGU-Vienna 28/04/2005

4. Outlook ECOCLIMAP: brief presentation Main statistics from ECOCLIMAP
Representativeness of direct validation sites
Building up BELMANIP network
FLUXNET
AERONET
COMPLET
Conclusion
EGU-Vienna 28/04/2005

5. ECOCLIMAP
V. Masson, J. L. Champeaux, F. Chauvin, C. Meriguer, and R. Lacaze,
"A global database of land surface parameters at 1km resolution in meteorological and climate models,"
Journal of Climate, 2003.
15 biomes (cover map DCW, IGBP, CORINE, PELCOM)
16 climate types (Koeppe & De Long, 1958)
218 classes used including
90 for Europe (CORINE) and
128 pour le remaining world
1/120° resolution (about 1km at the equator)
EGU-Vienna 28/04/2005

6. Statistics derived from ECOCLIMAP
Map of the 7 dominant surface types
Latitudinal distribution
LAI distribution
Heterogeneity of LAI
EGU-Vienna 28/04/2005

7. Map of dominant components
The initial 15 surface types were grouped into 7 components
Map of the dominant surface types at 1° 1° resolution
EGU-Vienna 28/04/2005

8. Latitudinal Distribution
1° de résolution in latitude
10° de résolution en latitude
(/global area)
(/emerged area)
Importance of northern mid latitudes
Importance of ‘grass’ et deserts
EGU-Vienna 28/04/2005

9. Annual average LAI map
Large variability within a each of the 7 surface types
EGU-Vienna 28/04/2005

10. Statistical distribution of LAI
LAI max
LAI moy
LAI min
=Maximal annual value
EGU-Vienna 28/04/2005

11. Seasonality (only continental surfaces)
Latitude
Time (Month)
LAI
EGU-Vienna 28/04/2005

12. Representativeness of direct validation sites (DIRECT)
VALERI (27)
CCRS (27)
BIGFOOT (9)
Others (35)
TOTAL=100
DIRECT
GLOBAL
EGU-Vienna 28/04/2005

13. Distribution of LAI for ‘DIRECT’
GLOBAL
DIRECT
Distribution of components
Average LAI values
(without bare surfaces)
EGU-Vienna 28/04/2005

14. Improving representativeness: BELMANIP
Use of additional networks
FLUXNET
AERONET
Eliminating replicates and sites with water 88 km²
Evaluation of the representativeness
Adding sites to improve representativeness
Surface types
Latitudinal distribution
Longitudinal distribution
LAI
EGU-Vienna 28/04/2005

15. BELMANIP
100 DIRECT FLUXNET + 58 AERONET + 78 COMPLET= 377 BELMANIP
EGU-Vienna 28/04/2005

16. Latitudinale and surface types distribution
GLOBAL
BELMANIP
EGU-Vienna 28/04/2005

17. LAI distribution
Global
BELMANIP
EGU-Vienna 28/04/2005

18. CONCLUSION Proposal for intercomparison network
Consensus between ‘producers’ to extract the BELMANIP sites
5050 km² area
over 2003
share the extracts to improve efficiency
Possible (annual) update of the network to account for new DIRECT sites
EGU-Vienna 28/04/2005

19. Example over one BELMANIP site
MERIS
MODIS
CYCLOPES V1
ECOCLIMAP
EGU-Vienna 28/04/2005

20. Example: internal consistency LAI/fAPAR relationships
EGU-Vienna 28/04/2005