Unlocking ecological insights from sub‐seasonal visible‐to‐shortwave infrared imaging spectroscopy: The <scp>SHIFT</scp> campaign
K. Dana Chadwick, Frank W. Davis, Kimberley Miner, Ryan Pavlick, Mark Reynolds, Philip A. Townsend, Philip G. Brodrick, Christiana Ade, Jean Allen, Leander D. L. Anderegg, Yoseline Angel, Indra Boving, Kristin B. Byrd, Petya Campbell, Luke Carberry, Katherine C. Cavanaugh, Kyle C. Cavanaugh, Kelly Easterday, Regina Eckert, Michelle M. Gierach, Kaitlin M. Gold, Erin L. Hestir, Fred Huemmrich, Maggie Klope, Raymond F. Kokaly, Piper Lovegreen, Kelly Luis, Conor McMahon, Nicholas J. Nidzieko, Francisco Ochoa, Anna Jiselle Ongjoco, Elsa M. Ordway, Madeleine Pascolini‐Campbell, Natalie Queally, Dar A. Roberts, Clare M. Saiki, Fabian Schneider, Alexey Shiklomanov, Germán D. Silva, Jordan Snyder, Michele Thornton, Anna T. Trugman, Nidhi Vinod, Ting Zheng, Dulcinea Avouris, Brianna Baker, Latha Baskaran, Tom W. Bell, Megan L. van den Berg, Michael Bernas, Niklas Bohn, Renato K. Braghiere, Zach Breuer, Andrew J. Brooks, Nolan Burkard, Julia Burmistrova, Kerry Cawse‐Nicholson, J. Chapman, Johana Chazaro‐Haraksin, Joel Cryer, K. C. Cushman, Kyla M. Dahlin, Phuong D. Dao, Athena DiBartolo, Michael L. Eastwood, Clayton D. Elder, Angela Giordani, Kathleen A. Grant, Robert O. Green, Alexa Hanson, Brendan C. Heberlein, Mark Helmlinger, Simon J. Hook, Daniel Jensen, Emma Johnson, Marie Johnson, Michael Kiper, Christopher L. Kibler, Jennifer Y. King, Kyle R. Kovach, Aaron Kreisberg, D.J. Lacey, Evan Lang, Christine Lee, Amanda M. Lopez, Brittany Lopez Barreto, Andrew J. Maguire, E. Neil G. Marsh, Charles E. Miller, Dieu My T. Nguyen, Cassandra Nickles, Jonathan P. Ocón, Elijah P. Papen, M. Park, Benjamin Poulter, Ann Raiho, Porter Reim, T. H. Robinson, Fernando E. Romero Galvan, Ethan Shafron
Abstract
Abstract We stand at the threshold of a transformative era in Earth observation, marked by space‐borne visible‐to‐shortwave infrared (VSWIR) imaging spectrometers that promise consistent global observations of ecosystem function, phenology, and inter‐ and intra‐annual change. However, the full value of repeat spectroscopy, the information embedded within different temporal scales, and the reliability of existing algorithms across diverse ecosystem types and vegetation phenophases have remained elusive due to the absence of suitable sub‐seasonal spectroscopy data. In response, the Surface Biology and Geology (SBG) High‐Frequency Time Series (SHIFT) campaign was initiated during late February 2022 in Santa Barbara County, California. SHIFT, designed to support NASA's SBG mission, addressed mission scoping, scientific advancement, applications development, and community building. This ambitious endeavor included weekly Airborne Visible InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer‐Next Generation (AVIRIS‐NG) imagery acquisitions for 13 weeks (spanning February 24 to May 29, 2022), accompanied by coordinated terrestrial vegetation and coastal aquatic data collection. We describe the rich datasets collected and illustrate how the complex sub‐seasonal patterns of change can be linked to biological science and applications, surpassing insights from multispectral observations. Leveraging open‐source processing methods and cloud‐based analysis tools, the SHIFT campaign showcases the readiness of the scientific community to harness ecological insights from remotely sensed hyperspectral time series. We provide an overview of SHIFT's goals, data collections, preliminary results, and the collaborative efforts of early career scientists committed to unlocking the transformative potential of high‐frequency time series data from space‐borne VSWIR imaging spectrometers.