Geosul (Jul 2019)

Spatio-temporal variability of the biophysical variables in the semi-arid region of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

  • Hélio Nogueira Bezerra,
  • Joel Medeiros Bezerra,
  • Caio Sérgio Pereira de Araújo,
  • Arthur Mattos

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5007/1982-5153.2019v34n72p184
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 34, no. 72
pp. 184 – 201

Abstract

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The determination of biophysical parameters, such as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the surface temperature (Ts), are of extreme importance for studies of climate changes in the environment in general. With this, the aim of the present study was to analyze the spatio-temporal variability of the biophysical variables of Ts and NDVI, using remote sensing techniques and products, in heterogeneous area, with predominance of Caatinga vegetal cover, associating the responses of the seasonal events of precipitation (P) and average daily air temperature (Tar). The results obtained showed clearly the behavior of Caatinga vegetation upon the temporal distribution of rainfall, presenting results of NDVI higher for the periods with higher water availability and of Ts smaller, due to influence of green biomass development on these two variables.

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