Dennison, PE, Roberts, DA, Peterson, SH, Rechel, J (2005). Use of normalized difference water index for monitoring live fuel moisture. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF REMOTE SENSING, 26(5), 1035-1042.

Abstract
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) were compared for monitoring live fuel moisture in a shrubland ecosystem. Both indices were calculated from 500 m spatial resolution Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) reflectance data covering a 33-month period from 2000 to 2002. Both NDVI and NDWI were positively correlated with live fuel moisture measured by the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACFD). NDVI had R-2 values ranging between 0.25 to 0.60, while NDWI had significantly higher R-2 values, varying between 0.39 and 0.80. Water absorption measures, such as NDWI, may prove more appropriate for monitoring live fuel moisture than measures of chlorophyll absorption such as NDVI.

DOI:
10.1080/0143116042000273998

ISSN:
0143-1161