ESTIMATION OF GROUND WATER TABLE AT FORESTED PEATLAND IN KALIMANTAN USING DROUGHT INDEX TOWARDS WILDFIRE CONTROL

摘要

This research is investigating the ground water table at forested peatland in Kalimantan which is expected to be an indicator for better wild fire control. Firstly, modified Keeth-Byram drought index (mKBDI) was computed by incorporating satellite-based precipitation GSMaP and MTSAT land surface temperature (LST). Secondly peat soil moisture (PSM) was retrieved by normalized polarization index with vertical and horizontal polarization of passive microwave sensor AMSR-E and it was related with near surface ground water table (GWT). Thirdly initial value of GWT was estimated by PSM and a time-series of calibration was carried out between mKDBI and ground-based GWT measurements at drained forest (DF), un-drained forest (UDF) and drained burnt forest (DBF) respectively. It was found that mKBDI was well calibrated with GWT at the above mentioned three measurement sites and a very good indicator for peat fire risk zone mapping at forested peatland.