PROSPECT: A model of leaf optical properties spectra

PROSPECT is a radiative transfer model based of Allen's generalized “plate model” that represents the optical properties of plant leaves from 400 nm to 2500 nm. Scattering is described by a spectral refractive index (n) and a parameter characterizing the leaf mesophyll structure (N). Absorption is modeled using pigment concentration (Ca+b), water content (Cw), and the corresponding specific spectral absorption coefficients (Ka+b and Kw). The parameters n, Ka+b, and Kw have been fitted using experimental data corresponding to a wide range of plant types and status. PROSPECT has been tested successfully on independent data sets. Its inversion allows one to reconstruct, with reasonable accuracy, leaf reflectance, and transmittance features in the 400–2500 nm range by adjusting the three input variables N, Ca+b, and Cw.