FAPAR and BRDF simulation for row crop using Monte Carlo method

Row crop is an important cultivation form in China. It is considered to be a transitional canopy structure between continuous vegetation and discrete vegetation. Lots of physical models of row crop were established to invert vegetation parameters of row crop. Monte Carlo model is a reliable reference for those physical models. In this paper, row crop was modeled as a series of parallel rectangles with infinity length in one direction. The Monte Carlo (MC) simulation model of row crop was established according to the process of photons tracing. Meanwhile, dissipated energy was counted during the simulation process so that FAPAR and BRDF were calculated. The simulation result was analyzed and compared with continuous vegetation. Some influencing parameters of the simulation were analyzed, including LAI (leaf area index), width of rows, width of space between the rows, solar zenith angle and azimuth angle. And the field experiment data was used to compare with MC simulation result. Result shows row crop MC model is reliable.