Radiometer (AVHRR) and VEGETATION sensors. These sensors provide information on vegetation status such as vegetation greenness, percentage of vegetation cover and vegetation moisture content. Images are provided on a daily basis with a spatial resolution (pixel size) of approximately 1 x 1 km. NOAA-AVHRR images were used by the Migratory Pest Group until the launch of SPOT4-VEGETATION in April 1998.

SPOT4-VEGETATION images offer a series of advantages over NOAA-AVHRR images. They provide better image positioning and better calibration. Daily SPOT4-VEGETATION images are synthesized on a 10-day basis (SPOT-VGT S10 products) and made available for monitoring vegetation conditions to the Migratory Pests Group.

A product using the vegetation index (NDVI) is available and used operationally to monitor vegetation greenness. New products such as the percentage of vegetation cover and vegetation/soil moisture content are under development to improve locust forecasting methods.