The Numerical Terradynamic Simulation Group (NTSG) is a research laboratory at The University of Montana in Missoula pioneering new approaches for landscape ecological and hydrological analyses. The primary focus of NTSG is to understand how terrestrial vegetation responds to climate variability and influences energy, water and carbon cycles. NTSG conducts research over a broad range of spatial scales from individual landscape units to basin, continental and global domains. NTSG has strong emphasis in the application of ecological theory and environmental analysis using computational process modeling, satellite remote sensing and GIS. NTSG is a NASA Earth Science Information Partner (ESIP) and is involved with the NASA Earth Observing System as a repository for a variety of global land data products, including MODIS (MOD17) vegetation productivity.

MODIS Data Redistribution Policy
MODIS data and products acquired through the LP DAAC have no restrictions on subsequent use, sale, or redistribution.

MODIS Data Pricing Policy
MODIS data and products are available at no charge from the LP DAAC.

Selected Publications

Large divergence of satellite and Earth system model estimates of global terrestrial CO2 fertilization, Smith, W. K., Reed S. C., Cleveland C. C., Ballantyne A. P., Anderegg W. R. L., Wieder W. R., Lui Y. Y., and Running S. W. , Nature Climate Change, 03/2016, Volume 6, p.306 -- 310, (2015)
Vegetation Greening and Climate Change Promote Multidecadal Rises of Global Land Evapotranspiration, Zhang, K., Kimball J. S., Nemani R. R., Running S. W., Hong Y., Gourley J. J., and Yu Z. , Nature Scientific Reports, 10/2015, Volume 5, (2015) Abstract
Ecosystem services lost to oil and gas in North America, Allred, B. W., Smith W. K., Twidwell D., Haggerty J. H., Running S. W., Naugle D. E., and Fuhlendorf S. D. , Science, 04/2015, Volume 348, Issue 6233, (2015)
The global NPP dependence on ENSO: La Niña and the extraordinary year of 2011, Bastos, A., Running S. W., Gouveia C., and Trigo R. M. , Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 09/2013, Volume 118, Issue 3, Number 3, p.1247–1255, (2013)
A Remotely Sensed Global Terrestrial Drought Severity Index, Mu, Q., Zhao M., Kimball J. S., McDowell N., and Running S. W. , Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 01/2013, Volume 94, Issue 1, Number 1, p.83–98, (2013)
Global Bioenergy Capacity as Constrained by Observed Biospheric Productivity Rates, Smith, W. K., Zhao M., and Running S. W. , BioScience, 10/2012, Volume 62, Issue 10, Number 10, p.911–922, (2012)
A Measurable Planetary Boundary for the Biosphere, Running, S. W. , Science, 09/2012, Volume 337, Number 6101, p.1458–1459, (2012)
Bioenergy Potential of the United States Constrained by Satellite Observations of Existing Productivity, Smith, W. K., Cleveland C. C., Reed S. C., Miller N. L., and Running S. W. , Environmental Science and Technology, 02/2012, (2012)

Highlighted Projects

MODIS

MODIS GPP/NPP Project (MOD17)
MODIS Global Evapotranspiration Project (MOD16)
MODIS Global Disturbance Index (MGDI)
MODIS Global Terrestrial Drought Severity Index

Hydrology

Global Evapotranspiration
Dominant River Tracing
Riverscape Analysis Project (RAP)

Global Land Datasets

AMSR-E Land Parameters
MEaSUREs Freeze/Thaw ESDR

SMAP

SMAP Level 4 Carbon (L4_C) project

Ecosystem Modeling

Biome-BGC

Spatial Climatology

TopoWx
MT-CLIM

NTSG News

December 23, 2015

The amount of methane escaping from the ground during the long cold period in the Arctic and entering Earth’s atmosphere is likely much higher than estimated. NTSG researchers John Kimball and Jennifer Watts contributed to the study by analyzing fractional open water data from the AMSR-E global land parameter record.

November 2, 2015

Drs. John Kimball and Steve Running are part of team who document a global connection between El Nino events and drought. The article is published in Nature Scientific Reports.

November 2, 2015

We are pleased to announce that all radiometer data products from NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission are now available at the National Snow and Ice Data Center Distributed Active Archive Center (NSIDC DAAC). SMAP combines coincident L-band radar and radiometer measurements to produce global, high-resolution soil moisture and freeze/thaw estimates.

March 10, 2015

New research by John Kimball, along with scientists at Stanford, Princeton, and Rutgers is showing how tropical forests respond to seasonal climate changes.

January 26, 2015

Professor John Kimball is among the team of researchers involved in the NASA SMAP project scheduled to launch January 29, 2015. Kimball and his team helped developed algorithms that will process data collected by the satellite to produce estimates and monitor global land-atmosphere carbon dioxide exchange, ecosystem productivity and underlying environmental controls.

Learn more:
Scientific American
UMT
JPL

Watch the launch on January 29

 

September 16, 2014

Grad student Jennifer Watts presents new research on regional wetting and drying trends, and methane release in permafrost landscapes.

August 27, 2014

New research by University of Montana doctoral student Jared Oyler provides improved computer models for estimating temperature across mountainous landscapes.

Related Programs

National Center for Landscape Fire Analysis
Montana Climate Office
Flathead Lake Biological Station