KECK INSTITUTE FOR SPACE STUDIES

       

Workshop: Sensing Forest Water Dynamics from Space: Towards Predicting the Earth System Response to Droughts - Part II

October 26 - 30, 2020
California Institute of Technology - Pasadena, CA 91125

Workshop Overview:

The focus of our study is to develop the measurement concepts, observational architecture, and experiments that will increase our capacity to understand and predict the response of forest ecosystems to droughts and future climate extremes. We envisioned two workshops dedicated to the study. The first workshop, held in October 2019, addressed the state-of-the-art theory, models and measurement techniques for studying the water flow in soil-plant-atmosphere continuum and explored the mechanisms underlying the stress and response of plants to droughts. The participants discussed how these mechanisms are spatially and temporally scaled and to what extent the existing remote sensing observations can capture the forest water dynamics from space. Key science questions linking the water dynamics of forest ecosystems to carbon and energy cycles from plants to regional scales were discussed and several gaps in observations and modeling were identified.

In the second workshop, to be held in October 2020, we will pursue a number of avenues that would support needed technology development and science advancements to address the science questions identified in the first workshop. First, we will focus on developing the traceability between the science questions and observables in order to identify the needed measurements, and any necessary breakthroughs in observing architecture and performance. In particular, the study will explore how planned and potential exploratory microwave observations from space and their synergism with optical, hyperspectral, and/or thermal sensing can be used in sensing forest water dynamics from space. Second, we anticipate devising a strategy to support the goals of the study by a series of collaborative activities, including airborne and/or field campaigns, that include existing advanced technologies. These activities will address specific components of science and technology that are needed to improve our readiness and capability for a dedicated spaceborne mission going forward. Finally, we will outline the findings of the workshop to prepare a report and potentially a peer-reviewed publication.

Monday, October 26, 2020

Time in PDT
Event
Speaker
8:45 - 9:00

Welcome to the workshop! Please get yourself settled into the Think Tank room early to leave plenty of time for unexpected technical hitches (test your mic, grab some coffee or tea), and informally get to know your fellow participants as we all get ready to start at the top of the hour.

9:00 - 10:00

Logistics
Review study vision
Workshop #1 ‐ recap and update
Goals and expectations for workshop #2
Participant Introductions (30 seconds each)
Zoom group photo

Michele Judd and Team Leads

10:00 - 10:15

Break

10:15 ‐ 10:25

Remote Sensing Talk

Sassan Saatchi

10:25 ‐ 10:45

Group Q & A

All

10:45 ‐ 10:50

Outline for rest of day/tomorrow

Michael Keller

10:50 ‐ NOON

Existing STM analysis breakouts: what should be changed or needs more
evidence? Or come up with a new ones?

All

NOON

Official end of workshop day one.
Grab lunch (or a snack or whatever makes sense in your time zone)! Gather Town rooms will stay open for people to keep going, other rooms are also available if you want to keep working or discussing new collaborations.


Tuesday, October 27, 2020

Time in PDT
Event
Speaker
8:45 ‐ 9:00

Welcome back! Log in early to continue social conversations, make sure your tech is working as expected, and get settled in for the day. Get thee to the Think Tank and Zoom in.

9:00 ‐ 9:45

Breakout reports discussion: downselect?

All

9:45 ‐ 10:15

Break ‐ head to a room for good conversation with someone who is interested in the same thing as you are…

10:15 ‐ 11:30

Breakout on justification for temporal resolution and coverage. How can we
determine and justify the numbers?

All
11:30 ‐ 11:55 Group Pulse ‐ What is one positive thing you have already achieved? What is one thing you want to achieve by Friday? All
11:55 ‐ NOON Outline for rest of day/tomorrow Sassan Saatchi
NOON Official end of workshop day two.
Grab lunch (or a snack or whatever makes sense in your time zone)! Gather Town rooms will stay open for people to keep going, other rooms are also available if you want to keep working or discussing new collaborations.

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

Time in PDT
Event
Speaker
8:45 ‐ 9:00

It's almost routine by now! Log in early to avoid technical glitches, say hi and get settled in to be ready
to go at 9 AM Pacific.

9:00 ‐ 9:45

Logistics
Breakout reports discussion: downselect?

All

9:45 ‐ 10:15

Break ‐ head to a room for good conversation with someone who is interested in the same thing as you are…

10:15 ‐ 11:30

Breakout on justification for spatial resolution and coverage. How can we determine and justify the numbers?

All

11:30 ‐ 11:55 Brief report outs from each team All
11:55 ‐ NOON Outline for rest of day/tomorrow Christian Frankenberg
NOON Official end of workshop day three.
Grab lunch (or a snack or whatever makes sense in your time zone)! Gather Town rooms will stay open for people to keep going, other rooms are also available if you want to keep working or discussing new collaborations.

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Time in PDT
Event
Speaker
8:45 ‐ 9:00

Good morning! Settle in early, chat with new colleagues, and get ready for another productive
day.

9:00 ‐ 9:15

Logistics
White paper re‐introduction/reflection on structure

All

9:15 ‐ 10:15

Breakouts: white paper outline fleshing out + figure designs

All

10:15 ‐ 10:30

Break ‐ head to a room for good conversation with someone who is interested in the same thing as you are…

10:30 ‐ 11:30 Breakouts: design field campaigns (hint: may want to use STMs as a basis)
+Writing breakouts
All
11:30 ‐ 11:55 Breakout reports All
11:30 ‐ NOON Outline for rest of day/tomorrow Alex Konings
NOON Official end of workshop day four.
Grab lunch (or a snack or whatever makes sense in your time zone)! Gather Town rooms will stay open for people to keep going, other rooms are also available if you want to keep working or discussing new collaborations.

Friday, October 30, 2020

Time in PDT
Event
Speaker
8:45 ‐ 9:00

You're a pro at this now. Log in early, refill that new KISS mug with a soothing (or jolting!) beverage and gear up for our final day of the virtual workshop.

9:00 ‐ 9:30

Logistics
White paper writing assignments

Michele and Team
Leads

9:30 ‐ 10:30

Planning execution of follow‐up ideas

Team
Leads
10:30 ‐ 10:45

Break ‐ head to a room for good conversation with someone who is interested in the same thing as you are…

10:45 ‐ 11:15 Advocacy plan All
11:15 ‐ 11:55 Reflections and conclusions All
11:15 ‐ NOON Workshop closing Michele Judd
NOON Official end of the workshop. PLEASE FILL OUT THE SURVEY ;‐)
Grab lunch (or a snack or whatever makes sense in your time zone)! Gather Town rooms will stay open for people to keep going, other rooms are also available if you want to keep working or discussing new collaborations.

Workshop Participants:

  • Elizabeth (Liz) Agee – Oak Ridge National Laboratory
  • William (Bill) Anderegg - University of Utah
  • Mallory Barnes – Indiana University
  • Oliver Binks – The Australian National University
  • Kerry Cawse-Nicholson – JPL
  • Bradley Christoffersen - UT Rio Grande Valley
  • Dara Entekhabi - MIT
  • Christian Frankenberg – Caltech
  • Pierre Gentine - Columbia University
  • Nataniel (Natan) Holtzman – Stanford University
  • Vincent Humphrey – Caltech
  • Gaby Katul - Duke University
  • Michael Keller – USDA Forest Service
  • Alex Konings – Stanford University
  • Yanlan Liu – Stanford University
  • Marcos Longo – JPL
  • Jordi Martinez-Vilalta - CREAF Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
  • Ashley Matheny - University of Texas at Austin
  • Nate McDowell - PNNL
  • Patrick Meir - Australian National University
  • Maurizio Mencuccini – ICREA, Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona
  • Assaad Mrad – Duke University
  • Kim Novick - Indiana University - Bloomington
  • Rafael Oliveira – University of Campinas
  • Sassan Saatchi – JPL
  • Lawren Sack – UCLA
  • Paul Siqueira - University of Massachusetts, Amherst
  • Susan Steele-Dunne – Delft University of Technology
  • David R. Thompson – JPL
  • Anna Trugman – UC Santa Barbara
  • Yujie Wang – Caltech
  • Richard Wehr - University of Arizona
  • Jeffrey (Jeff) D. Wood – University of Missouri
  • Xiangtao Xu - Cornell University
  • Pieter Zuidema - Wageningen University