Comparison of the spectral information content of Landsat Thematic Mapper and Resurs-01 NDVI data for vegetation discrimination and monitoring in Central Italy

The Resurs-01 satellite data now being made commercially available are bridging the gap between NOAA AVHRR and Landsat TM with a resolution in visible and near-infrared bands of 170 meters and a reimaging capability of about four days at the equator. The combination of the mid-range ground resolution and the high repeat cycle gives data sets ideal for vegetation mapping and monitoring in scales ranging from 1:250,000 to 1:2,000,000. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) has become the primary tool for accurate description of continental land cover and can be calculated both, from the channels of the Landsat Thematic Mapper and from the Resurs-01 MSU-SK instrument. The primary objective of this study was to compare the spectral information content of the Landsat Thematic Mapper and Resurs-01 MSU-SK NDVI data for an agricultural landscape of Central Italy.