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Dr. Paul M Montesano

Photo of PAUL MONTESANO

Dr. Paul M Montesano

  • 301.614.6642
  • NASA/GSFC
  • Mail Code: 606.3
  • Greenbelt , MD 20771
  • Employer: ADNET SYSTEMS INC

    • Research Interests

    Boreal forest structure and patterns

    Advance the application of multi-sensor remote sensing and geo-spatial data integration to document, quantify, assess uncertainty of and monitor changes in, boreal forest structure.

    Current Projects

    Boreal Forest Carbon Balance

     Integrate a variety of spaceborne remote sensing data to document and quantify the spatial extent and uncertainty of boreal forest carbon.

    Disturbance, Growth, and Recovery of Boreal Forests Spanning the Satellite Era: 3D Structure, Site Index, and Ecosystem Carbon Flux with Changing Climate

    Circumpolar Taiga-Tundra Ecotone Tree Cover Mapping and Validation

    Apply Landsat data to document the extent and uncertainty of tree cover in the boreal forest - tundra ecotone in north America and Eurasia.  Explore data integration techniques using spaceborne LiDAR and high-resolution multispectral imagery to characterize forest horizontal and vertical structure to validate the Landsat tree cover map.

    High Mountain Asia and Beyond: Regional Changes in Climate, Glaciers and Water Resources

    Positions/Employment

    11/2006 - Present

    Lead Research Scientist

    SSAI, Greenbelt, MD

    Education

    Dept. of Geographical Sciences, University of Maryland - College Park
    PhD (May 2015)
    Doctoral Thesis: The uncertainty of spaceborne measurements of vegetation structure in the taiga-tundra ecotone of northern Siberia.

    Nelson Institute of Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin - Madison
    M.S.(Research option) Environmental Monitoring, May 2006
    Master’s Thesis: Estimating chl-a in lakes with MODIS: a regional assessment

    Rutgers College, Rutgers University
    B.A. with High Honors, May 2001 Major: Geography Minor: Biology
    Senior Honors Thesis: Examining relationships between snow coverage and wildfires in the western U.S.

    Selected Publications

    Refereed

    Montesano, P. M., C. Neigh, M. J. Macander, M. Feng, and P. Noojipady. 2020. "The bioclimatic extent and pattern of the cold edge of the boreal forest: the circumpolar taiga-tundra ecotone." Environmental Research Letters, [10.1088/1748-9326/abb2c7]

    Duncan, B. N., L. E. Ott, J. B. Abshire, et al. L. Brucker, M. L. Carroll, J. Carton, J. C. Comiso, E. P. Dinnat, B. C. Forbes, A. Gonsamo, W. W. Gregg, D. K. Hall, I. Ialongo, R. Jandt, R. A. Kahn, A. Karpechko, S. R. Kawa, S. Kato, T. Kumpula, E. Kyrölä, T. V. Loboda, K. C. McDonald, P. M. Montesano, R. Nassar, C. S. Neigh, C. L. Parkinson, B. Poulter, J. Pulliainen, K. Rautiainen, B. M. Rogers, C. S. Rousseaux, A. J. Soja, N. Steiner, J. Tamminen, P. C. Taylor, M. A. Tzortziou, H. Virta, J. S. Wang, J. D. Watts, D. M. Winker, and D. L. Wu. 2020. "Space‐Based Observations for Understanding Changes in the Arctic‐Boreal Zone." Reviews of Geophysics, 58 (1): 2019RG000652 [10.1029/2019rg000652]

    Shean, D., S. Bhushan, P. Montesano, et al. D. Rounce, A. Arendt, and B. Osmanoglu. 2020. "A Systematic, Regional Assessment of High Mountain Asia Glacier Mass Balance. Front." Frontiers/Earth Science, 7: 363 [https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2019.00363]

    Puliti, S., M. Hauglin, J. Breidenbach, et al. P. Montesano, C. Neigh, J. Rahlf, S. Solberg, T. Klingenberg, and R. Astrup. 2020. "Modelling above-ground biomass stock over Norway using national forest inventory data with ArcticDEM and Sentinel-2 data." Remote Sensing of Environment, 236: 111501 [10.1016/j.rse.2019.111501]

    Neigh, C. S., C. J. Tucker, M. L. Carroll, et al. P. M. Montesano, D. A. Slayback, M. R. Wooten, A. I. Lyapustin, D. E. Shean, O. Alexandrov, and M. J. Macander. 2019. "An API for Spaceborne Sub-Meter Resolution Products for Earth Science." IGARSS 2019 - 2019 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, [10.1109/igarss.2019.8898358]

    Montesano, P. M., C. S. Neigh, W. Wagner, M. Wooten, and B. D. Cook. 2019. "Boreal canopy surfaces from spaceborne stereogrammetry." Remote Sensing of Environment, 225: 148-159 [10.1016/j.rse.2019.02.012]

    Montesano, P. M., C. Neigh, G. Sun, et al. L. Duncanson, J. Van Den Hoek, and K. J. Ranson. 2017. "The use of sun elevation angle for stereogrammetric boreal forest height in open canopies." Remote Sensing of Environment, 196: 76-88 [10.1016/j.rse.2017.04.024]

    Montesano, P. M., G. Sun, R. O. Dubayah, and K. J. Ranson. 2016. "Spaceborne potential for examining taiga–tundra ecotone form and vulnerability." Biogeosciences, 13 (13): 3847-3861 [10.5194/bg-13-3847-2016]

    Montesano, P., C. Neigh, J. Sexton, et al. M. Feng, S. Channan, K. Ranson, and J. Townshend. 2016. "Calibration and Validation of Landsat Tree Cover in the Taiga−Tundra Ecotone." Remote Sensing, 8 (7): 551 [10.3390/rs8070551]

    Margolis, H. A., R. F. Nelson, P. M. Montesano, et al. A. Beaudoin, G. Sun, H.-E. Andersen, and M. A. Wulder. 2015. " Combining satellite lidar, airborne lidar, and ground plots to estimate the amount and distribution of aboveground biomass in the boreal forest of North America 1 ." Can. J. For. Res., 45 (7): 838-855 [10.1139/cjfr-2015-0006]

    Rosette, J., B. Cook, R. Nelson, et al. Chengquan Huang, J. Masek, C. Tucker, Guoqing Sun, Wenli Huang, P. Montesano, J. Rubio-Gil, and J. Ranson. 2015. "Sensor Compatibility for Biomass Change Estimation Using Remote Sensing Data Sets: Part of NASA's Carbon Monitoring System Initiative." IEEE Geosci. Remote Sensing Lett., 12 (7): 1511-1515 [10.1109/lgrs.2015.2411262]

    Van Den Hoek, J., J. S. Read, L. A. Winslow, P. M. Montesano, and C. D. Markfort. 2015. "Examining the utility of satellite-based wind sheltering estimates for lake hydrodynamic modeling." Remote Sensing of Environment, 156: 551-560 [10.1016/j.rse.2014.10.024]

    Montesano, P. M., J. A. Rosette, G. Sun, et al. R. F. Nelson, R. Dubayah, K. J. Ranson, and V. Kharuk. 2015. "The uncertainty of biomass estimates from modeled ICESat-2 returns across a boreal forest gradient." Remote Sensing of Environment, 158: 95-109 [10.1016/j.rse.2014.10.029]

    Montesano, P. M., R. F. Nelson, R. Dubayah, et al. G. Sun, B. D. Cook, K. J. Ranson, E. Naesset, and V. Kharuk. 2014. "The uncertainty of biomass estimates from LiDAR and SAR across a boreal forest structure gradient." Remote Sensing of Environment, 154: 398-407 [10.1016/j.rse.2014.01.027]

    Cook, B. D., L. A. Corp, R. F. Nelson, et al. E. M. Middleton, D. C. Morton, J. T. Mccorkel, J. Masek, and P. M. Montesano. 2013. "NASA Goddard’s LiDAR, Hyperspectral and Thermal (G-LiHT) Airborne Imager." Remote Sensing, 5 (8): 4045-4066 [10.3390/rs5084045]

    Neigh, C., R. Nelson, J. Ranson, et al. P. Montesano, G. Sun, V. Kharuk, E. Naesset, M. Wulder, and H. Andersen. 2013. "Taking stock of circumboreal forest carbon with ground measurements, airborne and spaceborne LiDAR." Remote Sensing of Environment, 137: 274-287 [10.1016/j.rse.2013.06.019]

    Montesano, P. M., B. D. Cook, G. Sun, et al. M. Simard, R. F. Nelson, K. J. Ranson, Z. Shang, and S. B. Luthcke. 2013. "Achieving accuracy requirements for forest biomass mapping: A spaceborne data fusion method for estimating forest biomass and LiDAR sampling error." Remote Sensing of Environment, 130: 153-170.

    Tilton, J. C., Y. Tarabalka, P. M. Montesano, and E. Gofman. 2012. "Best Merge Region-Growing Segmentation With Integrated Nonadjacent Region Object Aggregation." IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 50 (11): 4454 - 4467 [10.1109/TGRS.2012.2190079]

    Ranson, K. J., P. M. Montesano, and R. F. Nelson. 2011. "Object-based mapping of the circumpolar taiga–tundra ecotone with MODIS tree cover." Remote Sensing of Environment, 115 (12): 3670-3680 [10.1016/j.rse.2011.09.006]

    Sun, G., K. J. Ranson, Z. Guo, et al. Z. Zhang, P. M. Montesano, and D. Kimes. 2011. "FOREST BIOMASS MAPPING FROM LIDAR AND RADAR SYNERGIES." Remote Sensing of Environment, 115 (11): 2906-2916.

    Foster, J. L., D. K. Hall, J. B. Eylander, et al. G. A. Riggs, S. V. Nghiem, M. Tedesco, E. J. Kim, P. M. Montesano, R. E. Kelly, K. A. Casey, and B. J. Choudhury. 2011. "A blended global snow product using visible, passive microwave and scatterometer satellite data." International Journal of Remote Sensing, 32 (5): 1371-1395 [10.1080/01431160903548013]

    Nelson, R. F., K. J. Ranson, G. Sun, et al. D. Kimes, V. Kharuk, and P. M. Montesano. 2009. "ESTIMATING SIBERIAN TIMBER VOLUME USING MODIS AND ICESAT/GLAS." Remote Sensing of Environment, 113 (3): 691-701.

    Montesano, P. M., R. F. Nelson, G. Sun, et al. H. A. Margolis, A. G. Kerber, and K. J. Ranson. 2009. "MODIS TREE COVER VALIDATION FOR THE CIRCUMPOLAR TAIGA-TUNDRA TRANSITION ZONE." Remote Sensing of Environment, 113 (10): 2130-2141.

    Lathrop, R., P. M. Montesano, and S. Haag. 2008. "A multi-scale segmentation approach to mapping seagrass habitats using airborne digital camera imagery." Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing, 72 (6): 665-675.

    Lathrop, R., P. M. Montesano, J. Tesauro, and B. Zarate. 2004. "Statewide mapping and assessment of vernal pools: A New Jersey case study." Journal of Environmental Management, 76: 230-238.

    Lathrop, R., L. Windham, and P. M. Montesano. 2003. "Does Phragmites expansion alter the structure and function of marsh landscapes? Patterns and processes revisited." Estuaries, 26 (2): 423-435 [Full Text (Link)]

    Medler, M. J., P. M. Montesano, and D. Robinson. 2002. "Examining the relationship between snowfall and wildfire patterns in the western United States." Physical Geography, 21: 335-342.

    Non-Refereed

    Neigh, C. S., R. F. Nelson, K. J. Ranson, et al. H. Margolis, P. M. Montesano, G. Sun, V. Kharuk, E. Naesset, M. A. Wulder, and H. Andersen. 2015. "LiDAR-based Biomass Estimates, Boreal Forest Biome, Eurasia, 2005-2006." Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA: Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center [10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1278]

    Professional Societies

    American Geophysical Union, 2010 - Present

    Awards

    Thomas Hilker Early Career Scientist Award. ForestSAT2018, College Park, Md, October 2018

    Graduate Student Excellence in Research Award. Dept of Geographical Sciences, U. Md-College Park, 2014

    NASA GSFC Hydrospheric and Biospheric Sciences Award: Scientific Achievement, August 2012

    Best Reference Map Award (Professional Category), ACSM-CaGIS Map Design Competition (shared), 2006

    Best Software Integration (1st place) / Best Cartographic Design (2nd place), 2003 NJDEP Mapping Contest

    Andrew Hill Clark Award recipient for excellence in geography, 2001

    Phi Beta Kappa, 2001

    Selected Publications

    Refereed

    Montesano, P. M., C. Neigh, M. J. Macander, M. Feng, and P. Noojipady. 2020. "The bioclimatic extent and pattern of the cold edge of the boreal forest: the circumpolar taiga-tundra ecotone." Environmental Research Letters [10.1088/1748-9326/abb2c7]

    Duncan, B. N., L. E. Ott, J. B. Abshire, et al. L. Brucker, M. L. Carroll, J. Carton, J. C. Comiso, E. P. Dinnat, B. C. Forbes, A. Gonsamo, W. W. Gregg, D. K. Hall, I. Ialongo, R. Jandt, R. A. Kahn, A. Karpechko, S. R. Kawa, S. Kato, T. Kumpula, E. Kyrölä, T. V. Loboda, K. C. McDonald, P. M. Montesano, R. Nassar, C. S. Neigh, C. L. Parkinson, B. Poulter, J. Pulliainen, K. Rautiainen, B. M. Rogers, C. S. Rousseaux, A. J. Soja, N. Steiner, J. Tamminen, P. C. Taylor, M. A. Tzortziou, H. Virta, J. S. Wang, J. D. Watts, D. M. Winker, and D. L. Wu. 2020. "Space‐Based Observations for Understanding Changes in the Arctic‐Boreal Zone." Reviews of Geophysics 58 (1): 2019RG000652 [10.1029/2019rg000652]

    Shean, D., S. Bhushan, P. Montesano, et al. D. Rounce, A. Arendt, and B. Osmanoglu. 2020. "A Systematic, Regional Assessment of High Mountain Asia Glacier Mass Balance. Front." Frontiers/Earth Science 7 363 [https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2019.00363]

    Puliti, S., M. Hauglin, J. Breidenbach, et al. P. Montesano, C. Neigh, J. Rahlf, S. Solberg, T. Klingenberg, and R. Astrup. 2020. "Modelling above-ground biomass stock over Norway using national forest inventory data with ArcticDEM and Sentinel-2 data." Remote Sensing of Environment 236 111501 [10.1016/j.rse.2019.111501]

    Neigh, C. S., C. J. Tucker, M. L. Carroll, et al. P. M. Montesano, D. A. Slayback, M. R. Wooten, A. I. Lyapustin, D. E. Shean, O. Alexandrov, and M. J. Macander. 2019. "An API for Spaceborne Sub-Meter Resolution Products for Earth Science." IGARSS 2019 - 2019 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium [10.1109/igarss.2019.8898358]

    Montesano, P. M., C. S. Neigh, W. Wagner, M. Wooten, and B. D. Cook. 2019. "Boreal canopy surfaces from spaceborne stereogrammetry." Remote Sensing of Environment 225 148-159 [10.1016/j.rse.2019.02.012]

    Montesano, P. M., C. Neigh, G. Sun, et al. L. Duncanson, J. Van Den Hoek, and K. J. Ranson. 2017. "The use of sun elevation angle for stereogrammetric boreal forest height in open canopies." Remote Sensing of Environment 196 76-88 [10.1016/j.rse.2017.04.024]

    Montesano, P. M., G. Sun, R. O. Dubayah, and K. J. Ranson. 2016. "Spaceborne potential for examining taiga–tundra ecotone form and vulnerability." Biogeosciences 13 (13): 3847-3861 [10.5194/bg-13-3847-2016]

    Montesano, P., C. Neigh, J. Sexton, et al. M. Feng, S. Channan, K. Ranson, and J. Townshend. 2016. "Calibration and Validation of Landsat Tree Cover in the Taiga−Tundra Ecotone." Remote Sensing 8 (7): 551 [10.3390/rs8070551]

    Margolis, H. A., R. F. Nelson, P. M. Montesano, et al. A. Beaudoin, G. Sun, H.-E. Andersen, and M. A. Wulder. 2015. " Combining satellite lidar, airborne lidar, and ground plots to estimate the amount and distribution of aboveground biomass in the boreal forest of North America 1 ." Can. J. For. Res. 45 (7): 838-855 [10.1139/cjfr-2015-0006]

    Rosette, J., B. Cook, R. Nelson, et al. Chengquan Huang, J. Masek, C. Tucker, Guoqing Sun, Wenli Huang, P. Montesano, J. Rubio-Gil, and J. Ranson. 2015. "Sensor Compatibility for Biomass Change Estimation Using Remote Sensing Data Sets: Part of NASA's Carbon Monitoring System Initiative." IEEE Geosci. Remote Sensing Lett. 12 (7): 1511-1515 [10.1109/lgrs.2015.2411262]

    Van Den Hoek, J., J. S. Read, L. A. Winslow, P. M. Montesano, and C. D. Markfort. 2015. "Examining the utility of satellite-based wind sheltering estimates for lake hydrodynamic modeling." Remote Sensing of Environment 156 551-560 [10.1016/j.rse.2014.10.024]

    Montesano, P. M., J. A. Rosette, G. Sun, et al. R. F. Nelson, R. Dubayah, K. J. Ranson, and V. Kharuk. 2015. "The uncertainty of biomass estimates from modeled ICESat-2 returns across a boreal forest gradient." Remote Sensing of Environment 158 95-109 [10.1016/j.rse.2014.10.029]

    Montesano, P. M., R. F. Nelson, R. Dubayah, et al. G. Sun, B. D. Cook, K. J. Ranson, E. Naesset, and V. Kharuk. 2014. "The uncertainty of biomass estimates from LiDAR and SAR across a boreal forest structure gradient." Remote Sensing of Environment 154 398-407 [10.1016/j.rse.2014.01.027]

    Cook, B. D., L. A. Corp, R. F. Nelson, et al. E. M. Middleton, D. C. Morton, J. T. Mccorkel, J. Masek, and P. M. Montesano. 2013. "NASA Goddard’s LiDAR, Hyperspectral and Thermal (G-LiHT) Airborne Imager." Remote Sensing 5 (8): 4045-4066 [10.3390/rs5084045]

    Neigh, C., R. Nelson, J. Ranson, et al. P. Montesano, G. Sun, V. Kharuk, E. Naesset, M. Wulder, and H. Andersen. 2013. "Taking stock of circumboreal forest carbon with ground measurements, airborne and spaceborne LiDAR." Remote Sensing of Environment 137 274-287 [10.1016/j.rse.2013.06.019]

    Montesano, P. M., B. D. Cook, G. Sun, et al. M. Simard, R. F. Nelson, K. J. Ranson, Z. Shang, and S. B. Luthcke. 2013. "Achieving accuracy requirements for forest biomass mapping: A spaceborne data fusion method for estimating forest biomass and LiDAR sampling error." Remote Sensing of Environment 130 153-170

    Tilton, J. C., Y. Tarabalka, P. M. Montesano, and E. Gofman. 2012. "Best Merge Region-Growing Segmentation With Integrated Nonadjacent Region Object Aggregation." IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing 50 (11): 4454 - 4467 [10.1109/TGRS.2012.2190079]

    Ranson, K. J., P. M. Montesano, and R. F. Nelson. 2011. "Object-based mapping of the circumpolar taiga–tundra ecotone with MODIS tree cover." Remote Sensing of Environment 115 (12): 3670-3680 [10.1016/j.rse.2011.09.006]

    Sun, G., K. J. Ranson, Z. Guo, et al. Z. Zhang, P. M. Montesano, and D. Kimes. 2011. "FOREST BIOMASS MAPPING FROM LIDAR AND RADAR SYNERGIES." Remote Sensing of Environment 115 (11): 2906-2916

    Foster, J. L., D. K. Hall, J. B. Eylander, et al. G. A. Riggs, S. V. Nghiem, M. Tedesco, E. J. Kim, P. M. Montesano, R. E. Kelly, K. A. Casey, and B. J. Choudhury. 2011. "A blended global snow product using visible, passive microwave and scatterometer satellite data." International Journal of Remote Sensing 32 (5): 1371-1395 [10.1080/01431160903548013]

    Nelson, R. F., K. J. Ranson, G. Sun, et al. D. Kimes, V. Kharuk, and P. M. Montesano. 2009. "ESTIMATING SIBERIAN TIMBER VOLUME USING MODIS AND ICESAT/GLAS." Remote Sensing of Environment 113 (3): 691-701

    Montesano, P. M., R. F. Nelson, G. Sun, et al. H. A. Margolis, A. G. Kerber, and K. J. Ranson. 2009. "MODIS TREE COVER VALIDATION FOR THE CIRCUMPOLAR TAIGA-TUNDRA TRANSITION ZONE." Remote Sensing of Environment 113 (10): 2130-2141

    Lathrop, R., P. M. Montesano, and S. Haag. 2008. "A multi-scale segmentation approach to mapping seagrass habitats using airborne digital camera imagery." Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing 72 (6): 665-675

    Lathrop, R., P. M. Montesano, J. Tesauro, and B. Zarate. 2004. "Statewide mapping and assessment of vernal pools: A New Jersey case study." Journal of Environmental Management 76 230-238

    Lathrop, R., L. Windham, and P. M. Montesano. 2003. "Does Phragmites expansion alter the structure and function of marsh landscapes? Patterns and processes revisited." Estuaries 26 (2): 423-435 [Full Text (Link)]

    Medler, M. J., P. M. Montesano, and D. Robinson. 2002. "Examining the relationship between snowfall and wildfire patterns in the western United States." Physical Geography 21 335-342

    Non-Refereed

    Neigh, C. S., R. F. Nelson, K. J. Ranson, et al. H. Margolis, P. M. Montesano, G. Sun, V. Kharuk, E. Naesset, M. A. Wulder, and H. Andersen. 2015. "LiDAR-based Biomass Estimates, Boreal Forest Biome, Eurasia, 2005-2006." Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA: Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center [10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1278]

                                                                                                                                                                                            
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