Linear Structural Relations Modeling for Complex Land Cover and Land Use Change

NASA is seeking improved capabilities that enhance human and machine interaction in support of remote sensing applications. Particular interest involves collaborative operations in dynamic user environments.We propose to research and develop linear structural equation modeling (i.e., LISREL) methods for purposes of fundamentally advancing land cover and land use change (LCLUC) applications. We plan to use LISREL to manage complex latent and manifest Earth measurement variables that affect directly and indirectly human-nature dynamics. Remotely sensed imagery provides vital information for use in constructing these models, and as such, these data capture many of the primary indicators for exogenous and endogenous reciprocal causal relations.We believe LISREL modeling offers a radically different approach to remote sensing science. Among others, it is capable of utilizing the wealth of variables typically obtained when multiple researchers work jointly on complimenting components of LCLUC investigation. Furthermore, by examining complex reciprocal causation -- instead of just categorical summary -- LISREL focuses on true human and natural combinations concerning land-management conversion, intensification, and degradation. There are no known LCLUC solutions using LISREL, yet the global scientific community continues searching for fundamental breakthroughs, and this bodes well for commercialization of an eventual software solution during Phase II.