Agricultural Flash Drought Detection using Solar-Induced Fluorescence (SIF) and Soil Moisture Data

Start Date:
Sept. 24, 2026
Description:
Flash droughts are rapidly developing drought events that severely affect vegetation health, resulting in reduced crop yields and increased wildfire risk. Unlike long-term droughts, which develop gradually and can persist for multiple years, flash droughts emerge over a period of weeks and occur on subseasonal to seasonal timescale. Timely detection is essential for effective monitoring and response. This intermediate training focuses on the use of solar-induced fluorescence (SIF) observations from satellites to detect the early vegetation stress associated with flash droughts and to assess their impacts on natural and managed ecosystems. Participants will learn how SIF measurements from the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) provide insights on changes in photosynthetic activity, enabling the early detection of vegetation stress before visible changes occur. Because vegetation responses are closely linked to water availability, the training also incorporates soil moisture observations from the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission. This additional dataset helps characterize land surface moisture conditions to improve flash drought detection. Together, SIF and soil moisture observations provide a powerful framework for monitoring the onset and evolution of flash droughts, and they can offer skillful predictions of flash drought with multiple weeks of lead time compared to conventional meteorological and hydrological drought indicators. The methodology will be demonstrated through recent historic examples of flash droughts, while highlighting how the methodology can be adapted for flash drought monitoring across global regions.
Targeted Audience:
National and international water resources managers at local, state, and federal levels. Public and private water utilities, natural resources conservation organizations, and fisheries and aquaculture organizations. Academic faculty and students.
Host:
NASA Applied Remote Sensing Training Program (ARSET)
Format/Training Type:
Webinar
Language:
English
Attendance:
Open
Qualifications:
Satellite Skills and Knowledge
Contact Name:
Brock Blevins
Contact Email:
brock.blevins@nasa.gov
Fees:
No
Link:
https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/learn/trainings/agricultural-flash-drought-detection-using-solar-induced-fluorescence-sif-soil
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