PROSPECT - A MODEL OF LEAF OPTICAL-PROPERTIES SPECTRA

PROSPECT is a radiative transfer model based on Allen's generalized "plate model" that represents the optical properties of plant leaves from 400 nm to 2500 nm. Scattering is described by a spectral refractive index (n) and a parameter characterizing the leaf mesophyll structure (N). Absorption is modeled using pigment concentration (C(a+b)), water content (C(w)), and the corresponding specific spectral absorption coefficients (K(a+b) and K(w)). The parameters n, K(a+b), and K(w) have been fitted using experimental data corresponding to a wide range of plant types and status. PROSPECT has been tested successfully on independent data sets. It inversion allows one to reconstruct, with reasonable accuracy, leaf reflectance, and transmittance features in the 400-2500 nm range by adjusting the three input variables N, C(a+b), and C(w).