Improving canopy variables estimation from remote sensing data by exploiting ancillary information. Case study on sugar beet canopies

In principle, the solution of the inverse problem enables the estimation of the canopy variable values from remote sensing data. The estimates may be significantly modified by the uncertainties related to the inverted model and the measurements. Some ancillary information characterising the canopy is required to improve the accuracy of the retrieved canopy variables. An algorithm that exploits concurrently radiometric and ancillary information has been tested to retrieve sugar beet leaf area index, leaf/canopy chlorophyll content, leaf water content and cover fraction. Several hypotheses of ancillary information showed that remote sensing of canopy variables should be connected to other sources of information to improve the vegetation variable estimates.