Analysis of vegetation green wave change in China using NOAA AVHRR data sets

This paper provides a preliminary overview of vegetation cover change analysis using a time series remote sensing data in China. A series of 12 monthly average NDVI data, which is derived from NOAA AVHRR data (January 1990 - December 1990), is used in this study. The research result shows that the vegetation cover change is different along the longitude and latitude during the year. Along the same longitude, vegetation index change is closely corresponded to the seasonal change law. The higher the latitude is, the greater the scope of seasonal change. In summer, there is no clear difference in vegetation index between southern and northern region, but in winter this different is much clear. Along the same latitude the vegetation index change is closely related to precipitation change during the year. The result of greenness classification for each monthly NDVI image also shows that in summer, the high greenness classes occupy most area of China; in opposite, lower greenness classes occupy most of territory of China in winter.