Optical methods for ecological mapping of urban areas

The results of the study of spectral characteristics of tree crops of Samara city as a method for measuring air pollutant concentrations. Even-age plantings of European white birch at ten points of Samara near main motorways were chosen as objects of study. It was shown that the ratio K of the light backscattering intensities at wavelengths of 750 and 550 nm is sensitive to pollutants and insensitive to measurement conditions. The relation between the coefficient K and the leaf chlorophyll concentration and their dependence on the total concentration of anthropogenic substances characteristic of internal-combustion engine exhausts (CO, NO2, SO2) were experimentally determined. The carbon oxide concentration has the strongest effect on the coefficient K. This makes it possible to apply the described method tested by the example of Samara city to ecological mapping of city territories.