Sovremennye problemy distantsionnogo zondirovaniya Zemli iz kosmosa, 2010, Vol. 7, No. 3, pp. 226-230
Research of variations of NDVI vegetation index of Yakutia arctic zone
E.V. Varlamova
, V.S. Solovyev
Yu.G. Shafer Institute of Cosmophisycal Research and Aeronomy of SB RAS (IKFIA SB RAS), 677980, Yakutsk, 31 Lenin ave
A long-term of data (1998-2009) of AVHRR radiometer (NOAA satellites), received at the station SCANECS (IKFIA
SB RAS, Yakutsk) were used to research variations of vegetation index of Yakutia arctic zone. In this work we
used values of NDVI vegetation index (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index). Four test sites with sizes 30x30
km on territory of Yakutia have been selected: three sites in the north-east and one in central Yakutia. To investigate
test sites the data received during the vegetation period may - september were used. AVHRR data have been
processed. Decadal, seasonal and annual averaged values of NDVI have been calculated. In addition to AVHRR
measurements, Rushydromet data were used to assess the temperature and humidity of test sites. Average values of
Wolf number were used as an indicator of solar activity. Comparison of the data obtained was conducted. Analysis
of vegetation index dynamics shows that during the monitoring period 1998-2009 on the background of overall
increase in temperature and humidity despite noticeable interannual variations of NDVI in minimum solar activity
(2006-2009) general decrease of NDVI in north-eastern of Yakutia is observed. Particularly strong decline phase of
NDVI was observed for period 2001-2005. It may be noted that this declination has coincided with a phase of decreasing
solar activity in the 23rd cycle.
Keywords: NOAA, AVHRR, vegetation index, NDVI, temperature, humidity, solar activity
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