Physically based inversion modeling for unsupervised cluster labeling, independent forest classification, and LAI estimation using MFM-5-Scale

Unsupervised clustering is important for regional- to national-scale forest inventories where supervised training data are impractical or unavailable. However, labeling clusters in terms of land-cover classes can be labour intensive and problematic, and clustering and related methods do not provide biophysical-structural information (BSI). Canopy reflectance models such as 5-Scale are powerful forest remote sensing tools; however, 5-Scale can only be run in forward mode and is not invertible to obtain the required forest information. This problem was solved using multiple-forward-mode (MFM) coupled with 5-Scale to enable MFM-5-Scale inversion of land cover and BSI using a look-up table (MFM-LUT) approach that matches satellite image reflectance values with modeled reflectance values that have associated land cover and BSI, such as density, leaf area index (LAI), and crown dimensions, as well as subpixel-scale component fractions. MFM requires no training data or a priori BSI and can optionally be stratifi...