ECOSTRESS | Qianle (Bill) Chen - Academic CV

Satellite Measurements of Evapotranspiration Predict Plant Water Stress

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract

This project tests whether NASA ECOSTRESS evapotranspiration (ET) can track plant water status across species and sites. ECOSTRESS ET was paired with PSInet predawn and midday leaf water potentials within seven days. Lower ET aligned with more negative water potentials, with significant correlations for 9 of 26 species at midday and 7 of 28 at predawn. Effect sizes varied by functional traits and site, suggesting that ECOSTRESS ET provides a scalable, non-invasive indicator of plant drought stress that complements field measurements and management decisions.

Poster Presentation

This research was presented at the 2025 NASA ECOSTRESS Annual Science Team Meeting.
Highlighting the integration of satellite-derived evapotranspiration data with field-measured leaf water potentials to assess drought stress at a global scale.
The poster summarizes cross-species analyses showing significant relationships between ECOSTRESS-derived evapotranspiration and plant water potential.

Poster presented at the NASA ECOSTRESS Annual Science Team Meeting — demonstrating ECOSTRESS evapotranspiration as a global-scale indicator of plant drought stress.

Download

{download}

For more projects and publications, visit my
.

GIS - Southern France Wildfire

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

NASA’s ECOSTRESS Wildfire Observation Featured on NASA Homepage

For over a month, NASA highlighted this ECOSTRESS product on its public homepage to recognize its value in real-time wildfire monitoring and international emergency response.

On August 6, 2025, the ECOSTRESS (ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station) instrument acquired high-resolution thermal imagery of an active wildfire front in the Aude department of southern France. The imagery showed land surface temperatures during a peak growth phase of the fire, with values ranging from elevated background temperatures to very hot active-fire pixels.

Because ECOSTRESS can measure land surface temperature and plant stress from the International Space Station, these data were shared as a critical reference layer for the France Fire Department and regional incident teams. The product supported:

Rapid assessment of where the fire was hottest
Better understanding of fire behavior across mixed terrain
Communication of fireline location and severity to decision makers
Broader demonstration of space-based thermal data for disaster management

This feature also illustrated ECOSTRESS’s broader mission: using thermal imaging to track water stress, agricultural impacts, urban heat, and extreme events from space.

Why It Was Recognized

Placed on the NASA homepage for >1 month as an example of actionable Earth-observing science

Demonstrated ISS-based thermal sensing for an ongoing emergency, not just retrospective science

Created in collaboration with NASA JPL, ECOSTRESS science team, and a student contributor from Arnold O. Beckman High School

Research Image

ECOSTRESS thermal map of the August 6, 2025 southern France wildfire, featured on the NASA homepage for over a month and used by France Fire Department as a situational layer. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / ECOSTRESS.

GIS – Portugal Wildfires 2025

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Portugal Wildfires – July 29, 2025

NASA’s ECOSTRESS (ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station) recorded thermal anomalies during the 2025 Portugal wildfires.
The dataset shows land surface temperatures exceeding 111°C (242°F) across multiple fronts in the northern region. These measurements provided key insights into fire intensity, spread, and local impacts, supporting environmental monitoring and emergency response.

This visualization was produced in collaboration with Dr. Joshua Fisher (Chapman University), and has been published in the NASA ECOSTRESS Gallery for public access.

Research Image

ECOSTRESS thermal imagery showing multiple active fire zones in Portugal on July 29, 2025. Visualization published on NASA ECOSTRESS Gallery. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / ECOSTRESS.

Credits

Created in collaboration with:

Bill Chen (Arnold O. Beckman High School)
Dr. Joshua R. Fisher (Chapman University)

🌍
🛰️

GIS – Serabigões Wildfire, Northern Portugal 2025

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Serabigões Wildfire – July 29, 2025

NASA’s ECOSTRESS (ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station) recorded high-resolution thermal data of the Serabigões fire front in northern Portugal.
The thermal map captured land surface temperatures from 26.7°C (80°F) to 96.7°C (206°F), identifying multiple active burn zones during a critical afternoon period under extreme heat and dry conditions.

This segment of the Severe Fire Complex affected rural areas around Serabigões and surrounding hills, continuing through late July. The dataset supports fire behavior analysis, damage assessment, and emergency response coordination.

The visualization was created in collaboration with Dr. Joshua R. Fisher (Chapman University) and Bill Chen (Arnold O. Beckman High School) and has been published in the NASA ECOSTRESS Gallery.

Research Image

ECOSTRESS thermal imagery showing active fire zones near Serabigões, northern Portugal, on July 29, 2025. Published in NASA ECOSTRESS Gallery. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / ECOSTRESS.

Credits

Created in collaboration with:

Bill Chen (Arnold O. Beckman High School)
Dr. Joshua R. Fisher (Chapman University)

🌍
🛰️

GIS – Airport Fire, Southern California 2024

Sun, 15 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Airport Fire – September 15, 2024

NASA’s ECOSTRESS (ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station) recorded thermal imagery of the Airport Fire during its active expansion across Orange and Riverside Counties, Southern California.
At 1:03 AM PST, ECOSTRESS detected land surface temperatures from 62°F (17°C) in unburned regions to 177°F (77°C) in active burn zones, highlighting two intense fire clusters moving under Santa Ana wind conditions.

The Airport Fire ignited on September 9, 2024, due to equipment use during vegetation clearance, and spread rapidly through rugged terrain and dry vegetation. It was fully contained on October 5, 2024, after burning more than 23,526 acres (9,521 ha). ECOSTRESS data provided valuable insights into fire spread, intensity patterns, and thermal behavior for post-event analysis.

This visualization was created by Bill Chen (Arnold O. Beckman High School) in collaboration with Dr. Joshua R. Fisher (Chapman University) and has been published in NASA’s ECOSTRESS Gallery.

Research Image

ECOSTRESS thermal map of the Airport Fire across Orange and Riverside Counties, California, on September 15, 2024. Published in NASA ECOSTRESS Gallery. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / ECOSTRESS.

Credits

Created in collaboration with:

Bill Chen (Arnold O. Beckman High School)
Dr. Joshua R. Fisher (Chapman University)

🌍
🛰️

GIS – Silverado Fire, Southern California 2020

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Silverado Fire – October 29, 2020

NASA’s ECOSTRESS (ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station) captured high-resolution land surface temperature data of the Silverado Fire across Orange County, California.
At 6:21 PM PST, ECOSTRESS recorded temperatures ranging from 68°F (20°C) in unaffected terrain to 176°F (80°C) in the most intense fire zones, revealing multiple high-temperature cores and the fire’s spread through canyon foothills under Santa Ana wind conditions.

The Silverado Fire began on October 26, 2020, and was fully contained by November 7 after burning more than 12,466 acres (5,046 ha). ECOSTRESS imagery provided valuable insight for emergency coordination and scientific analysis of fire behavior, drought stress, and post-fire recovery.

The visualization was created by Bill Chen (Arnold O. Beckman High School) in collaboration with Dr. Joshua R. Fisher (Chapman University) and has been published in NASA’s ECOSTRESS Gallery.

Research Image

ECOSTRESS thermal map of the Silverado Fire in Orange County, California, on October 29, 2020. Published in NASA ECOSTRESS Gallery. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / ECOSTRESS.

Credits

Created in collaboration with:

Bill Chen (Arnold O. Beckman High School)
Dr. Joshua R. Fisher (Chapman University)

🌍
🛰️

ECOSTRESS | Qianle (Bill) Chen - Academic CV

Satellite Measurements of Evapotranspiration Predict Plant Water Stress

Abstract

Poster Presentation

Download

GIS - Southern France Wildfire

NASA’s ECOSTRESS Wildfire Observation Featured on NASA Homepage

Research Image

GIS – Portugal Wildfires 2025

Portugal Wildfires – July 29, 2025

Research Image

Credits

Related Links

GIS – Serabigões Wildfire, Northern Portugal 2025

Serabigões Wildfire – July 29, 2025

Research Image

Credits

Related Links

GIS – Airport Fire, Southern California 2024

Airport Fire – September 15, 2024

Research Image

Credits

Related Links

GIS – Silverado Fire, Southern California 2020

Silverado Fire – October 29, 2020

Research Image

Credits

Related Links