TurfOps Science & Data Reference
Understanding spatial imagery, index formulas, interpretation guidelines, and sources.
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)
Sentinel-2 Satellite
NDVI = (NIR - Red) / (NIR + Red)
NDVI measures photosynthetic activity and plant vigor. Chlorophyll absorbs visible red light for energy, while leaf mesophyll structures reflect near-infrared (NIR) light to prevent vegetation overheating.
Interpretation:
Interpretation:
- 0.6 to 0.9 (Emerald/Blue): Healthy, dense, highly active turf canopy (greens and fairways).
- 0.35 to 0.55 (Green/Yellow): Dry, stressed, or low-density turf canopy.
- Under 0.2 (Tan/Blue): Bunkers, water, buildings, or dormant soils.
Turf Moisture Index (NDWI)
Sentinel-2 Satellite
Moisture = 1.0 - (NIR - Green) / (NIR + Green)
A modified Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) sensitive to liquid water molecules within vegetation canopy and open soil. Green light reflects moisture, while NIR tracks cell structures.
Interpretation:
Interpretation:
- High (Deep Blue): Waterlogged soils, drainage pooling, or water hazards.
- Medium (Teal): Well-irrigated, highly hydrated healthy turf.
- Low (Yellow/Tan): Under-watered turf, localized dry spots, or hydrophobic sand profiles.
Near-Infrared Reflectance (NIR)
Sentinel-2 Satellite
Reflectance = Band 8 (842nm)
Displays the raw reflectance values of the near-infrared spectrum. Cellular structures of plants reflect up to 50% of NIR light.
Interpretation: Since changes in cell wall structure affect NIR scattering long before chlorophyll content decreases, the NIR band is a leading indicator of crop stress, disease, and drought before visual symptoms appear.
Interpretation: Since changes in cell wall structure affect NIR scattering long before chlorophyll content decreases, the NIR band is a leading indicator of crop stress, disease, and drought before visual symptoms appear.
True Color Imagery
Sentinel-2 Satellite
RGB = Band 4 (R) + Band 3 (G) + Band 2 (B)
Combines the natural visible bands of the Sentinel-2 satellite to form an authentic snapshot of the course coordinates, exactly as seen by the human eye from orbit.
Note: TurfOps strictly forbids synthetic fallbacks for this band. If real orbit captures are not cached or query times out, this mode reverts to None with a toast warning to prevent misleading layouts.
Note: TurfOps strictly forbids synthetic fallbacks for this band. If real orbit captures are not cached or query times out, this mode reverts to None with a toast warning to prevent misleading layouts.
Aerial Layout Classification
MNRF Orthophotography
Supervised ML Pixel Classification
Supervised machine learning algorithms process ultra-high-resolution (10-25cm) aerial orthophoto maps provided by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNRF).
The layout segments coordinates into five functional golf course categories: Water (Blue), Sand Bunkers (Tan), Roughs (Dark Green), Fairways (Light Green), and Greens (Emerald).
The layout segments coordinates into five functional golf course categories: Water (Blue), Sand Bunkers (Tan), Roughs (Dark Green), Fairways (Light Green), and Greens (Emerald).
Infrastructure & Streets Overlay
OpenStreetMap
Overpass Geometry Querying
Vector road lines and highway overlays are fetched dynamically around each course's bounding box using OpenStreetMap (OSM) APIs.
Interactive Hover: Sweeping the cursor over any road segment triggers a client-side geometric projection that matches the pixel distance. If within 12px, it displays the road name and legal speed limits.
Interactive Hover: Sweeping the cursor over any road segment triggers a client-side geometric projection that matches the pixel distance. If within 12px, it displays the road name and legal speed limits.
Voice Agent Logs
Calls and notes submitted through the TurfOps agent API.
Course Name
Access Type
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Directory Sources
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Address
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Phone
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Website
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Seasonal Turf Health Trend
Avg NDVI: 0.74
Apr
Jun
Aug
Oct
NDVI Index
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