The application of time decay characteristics of laser‐induced fluorescence in the classification of vegetation

In this study, the time decay of the chlorophyll fluorescence intensity (TDCFI) of vegetation was measured based on laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) technology with a 355 nm laser serving as the excitation light source. The pseudo-color diagram of the TDCFI (PDTDCFIs) was proposed for use as a characteristic fingerprint for the analysis of various plant species based on variations in the fluorescence intensity over time. Compared with the steady-state fluorescence spectra, two-dimensional PDTDCFIs contained more spectral information, including variations in both the shape of the laser-induced fluorescence spectra and the relative intensity. The experimental results demonstrated that the PDTDCFIs of various plant species show distinct differences, and this was successfully applied in the classification of plant species. Therefore, the PDTDCFIs of plants could provide researchers with a more reliable and useful tool for the characterization of vegetation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.