Spatial distribution mapping of vegetation cover in urban environment using TDVI for quality of life monitoring

Abstract

In previous work, we have demonstrated that the semi-empirical model Transformed Difference Vegetation Index (TDVI) is less sensitive to soil optical properties variation, and more suitable for estimating the fraction of vegetation cover in forest and agricultural environment. This paper reports on a comparative study between TDVI, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and the Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI) for estimating fraction vegetation cover in urban environment using an image acquired with the Linear Imaging Self Scanner-III (LISS-III) onboard of the Indian Remote Sensing Satellite-ID (IRS-1D). The data were acquired on august 13, 1998 over the Montreal Island, period of the year when the vegetation is in the maximum phonological stage. A combined correction of the atmospheric effects (scattering and absorption) and the radiometric drift of the sensor were applied to transform the raw data to the surface reflectance. The validation of the obtained results according to the ground truth shows that the TDVI is a very good tool for vegetation cover monitoring in urban environment. It does not saturate like NDVI or SAVI, it shows a good linearity as a function of vegetation cover rate.