Statistical remarks about the use of remote sensing data for forest statistics

Abstract

The paper gives a description of main ways of using satellite data for producing forest maps and statistics, pointing out connected statistical problems. An analysis of advantages, disadvantages and requirements is also made. In this context, by satellite data we mean data collected by commercial optical satellites. They are a set of measures of electromagnetic radiation reflected by the earth surface. Each datum corresponds to an area unit (pixel) and to a certain interval of wavelength (channel). Radar data are not taken into account since they area seldom used in operational projects for the production of forest statistics. The cost-efficiency of the use of remote sensing data at the estimator level as well as at the sample design level is also evaluated.