Development of a GPS Forest Signal Absorption Coefficient Index

• Main Authors: William Wright, Benjamin Wilkinson, Wendell Cropper
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2018-04-01
• Series: Forests
• Subjects: canopy closure; global positioning system; hemispherical sky-oriented photo; signal attenuation; geographic information system
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/9/5/226

In this paper GPS (Global Positioning System)-based methods to measure L-band GPS Signal-to-Noise ratios (SNRs) through different forest canopy conditions are presented. Hemispherical sky-oriented photos (HSOPs) along with GPS receivers are used. Simultaneous GPS observations are collected with one receiver in the open and three inside a forest. Comparing the GPS SNRs observed in the forest to those observed in the open allows for a rapid determination of signal loss. This study includes data from 15 forests and includes two forests with inter-seasonal data. The Signal-to-Noise Ratio Atmospheric Model, Canopy Closure Predictive Model (CCPM), Signal-to-Noise Ratio Forest Index Model (SFIM), and Simplified Signal-to-Noise Ratio Forest Index Model (SSFIM) are presented, along with their corresponding adjusted R2 and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE). As predicted by the CCPM, signals are influenced greatly by the angle of the GPS from the horizon and canopy closure. The results support the use of the CCPM for individual forests but suggest that an initial calibration is needed for a location and time of year due to different absorption characteristics. The results of the SFIM and SSFIM provide an understanding of how different forests attenuate signals and insights into the factors that influence signal absorption.