NASA Rapid Response: Development of a climate-driven model of the disintegration and decay of dead trees

PI: Dr. Sorin Popescu

Co-Is: Drs. Jason Vogel and Georgianne Moore 

Between 2011 and 2012, precipitation for most of Texas was 50-75% less than its longterm average. This drought’s severity and extent was greater than any other drought that had occurred in the region during the previous 500 years. Forests suffered tree mortality that was ~9x above normal levels and the largest trees of the region died at disproportionately high levels. The rate of tree disintegration will be monitored through a combination of airborne, unmanned aerial vehicle LiDAR and terrestrial LiDAR scanning (TLS), combined with remote sensing imagery and the USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis database for regional scaling-up.