SBC LTER: Time series of kelp biomass in the canopy from Landsat 5, 1984 -2011

This data package has been deprecated because the models/methods have been changed. Please see the new data package using updated models: Kelp canopy biomass from Landsat 5, 7, and 8. These data are a time series of canopy biomass of the giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, derived from LANDSAT 5 Thematic Mapper satellite imagery. The kelp canopy is composed of the portions of fronds floating on the surface of the water. Biomass data (wet weight, kg) are given for individual 30 x 30 meter pixels in the coastal areas extending from near Pt. Reyes, California, to Punta Abreojos, Baja California Sur, Mexico, including the Northern and Southern Channel Islands. Data were derived from Landsat 5 TM images. Observations are made on a 16 day reqeat cycle but the temporal coverage is irregular because of cloud cover and instrument failure. Estimates of kelp canopy biomass are derived from the relationship between satellite surface reflectance and empirical measurements of kelp canopy biomass in long-term SBC LTER study plots obtained using SCUBA. Data are organized into yearly files, and zipped to compress. In its entirety this dataset is large, more than 3 GB and 80 million lines. To receive an archive of all data, or for assistance with subsets (e.g., range of dates or a latitude/longitude) contact [e-mail].